


Dragon's Breath Awakens the Sleeping Heart

by anarchycox



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dragons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Modern world, Romance, Secrets, Sex, and happily ever after, and true love, but like if steam punk and cyber punk had a bastard fantasy world baby, finding out who you are, likely a fair bit of sex, merlin doesn't name the swords, michelle tried to do good and forgot to be good, other creatures, shoes are totally a viable hoard, they already have names
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-03-12 14:26:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 75,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13549251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anarchycox/pseuds/anarchycox
Summary: Eggsy knows he's mostly mundane. Any magic blood in him is so diluted that at all he has is that he runs warm. His hidden shoe collection isn't a hoard and his dreams aren't filled with wings and images of flying with his true mate. He's nothing special, just like Dean always says.A chance encounter though will change his world a great deal as he is swept towards the truth of who he is, and what he could be. It seems that the posh vampire Harry, and the grumpy dragon Merlin have all sorts of answers, to questions he didn't even know he should ask.A story of magic and wonder in a sort of modern world and of course happily ever after.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [elrhiarhodan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/elrhiarhodan/gifts).



> This is for the incredible and amazing and gracious elrhiarhodan who asked for a modern dragon au with merwin. I truly hope you enjoy this bit of magic.
> 
> A note: Blood borne = vampire. Moon borne = witch. Shift borne = shape shifter. Fae borne = fairy/fae. Bone borne = dragon

“What do you mean the station is closed?” Eggsy asked one of the men blocking the way down. “I need to get across town.”

“Then move along to the next station, there’s been an incident,” he said.

“Incident?” Eggsy tried to get past him and was shoved back, hard. “Wot, you lot just having a party down there in the dark? Wot you doing out in the sun anyways?”

“It’s London lad, we don’t worry about the sun much.” The guard let his fangs drop. “Now move along before I have you arrested.”

“How long until it’s open again?” Eggsy tried to calculate how much time he had to spare, and he was cutting a lot close.

“Well son, if you know how to get a dragon unstuck from a tube car, then it can be a little faster, but otherwise, let’s just assume awhile,” he said.

“Dragons aren’t supposed to ride the underground,” Eggsy said. “It’s the law.”

“Yes because you look like the most abiding citizen ever. Now move along,” the guard hissed a little and Eggsy held up his hands.

“I’m going ya fucking -” Eggsy cut himself off and kept moving. Bloody full blood wanker arsehole blood bornes, always in the filth they were. Liked the power, they did. And dressing like prats. He jogged north hoping the next station wasn’t too crowded with the one being shut down. It was packed but he said fuck it and leapt over a couple people and ignored how they cursed him out. This neck of the woods didn’t have a lot of moon bornes, likely just standard fuck off curses not actually magic. He ran full tilt and got on the train. He was gasping for breath and people were staring. Eggsy straightened his jacket and looked around. There was a cluster of mundanes and he went and sat with them. He pulled out his phone. Shit, he had not a lot of time to get to the address that Dean wanted him at. Fuck, he tried to will the underground to go by faster and ran the second the doors opened again.

Outside he ran over two older men, one in a posh business suit, the other in leathers, a sword strapped to their back. “Sorry bruvs,” he shouted and kept going. He went around corners, ignored sigils and shimmers of magic, that stuff never bothered him none. He made it to the posh house with a minute to spare and gave a quick look for the filth before he hopped over the gate. Poodle punched him the second his feet hit the ground.

“Fuck off, I ain’t late,” Eggsy said.

“5 seconds,” Poodle countered. “Dean was real clear on the importance of a timely arrival.”

“Not like I could fly here,” Eggsy muttered.

“Aw, Muggsy, my heart bleeds for you,” Dean said walking over. His eyes were green today, pupils slits like a snake. Of his crew he was the only one still blooded enough to have some power. Eggsy hated shift borne the most. “But wait wasn’t your great great grandfather 1/2 bone borne. Maybe you’ll sprout wings and learn to be on time.” Dean’s crew all laughed. “Right, boys, we got an hour, let’s get while the getting is good.”

“Wot we looking for here, Dean?” Eggsy asked as they all walked in. They all froze. “Shit, Dean, is this -”

“Largest private collection of fae artifacts is in this house. And that is hot shit right now, market isn’t too flooded yet. We’re going to make a fortune.”

“This is bad fucking luck, Dean,” Eggsy said. “This is a bad idea.”

Dean cuffed him upside the head. “And since when you ever had any good luck, huh? Go hit the bedrooms.” He pushed Eggsy.

Eggsy went slowly up the stairs. He wasn’t terrified, it took a lot to freak him out, but he was concerned. It wasn’t good. It was so far from good, that it wasn’t even funny. He went to the bedrooms and the feeling of power wasn't as strong. He poked in drawers and cupboards and put some jewelry and other bobs in the bags Dean had given him. He checked the closet and slid a few things into his jacket and hoped Dean wouldn’t notice. Eggsy went back down stairs and the guys were trashing the place looking for the real goods. Dean was doing that quiet thing he did, where he was thinking. His eyes kept changing. So did his skin tone. That was really not good.

“There,” he finally said, and pointed. Rotty felt around and the fake wall was opened up. The guys cheered and began to load up.

“Muggsy go help them,” Dean ordered.

“Found you 10k easy in jewelry, I’m good,” Eggsy replied.

“Go help them,” Dean’s eyes were black.

“No, you know doing this curses your boys. Don’t see you touching shit,” Eggsy said.

“Get over there!” Dean yelled.

“FUCK NO!” Eggsy roared, a deep and terrifying sound from low in his chest. Everyone in the room froze. Eggsy figured that was a good time to book it. He threw the bag at Dean and ran. He went around back and went over the fence and prayed that maybe the CCTV cameras were all out in the area. Dean had a guy, they should be but you can never tell. But Eggsy knew better than to run. He went around the corner and stilled. It was the two men he had run into. He thought maybe. He hadn’t had a good glimpse. But sharp suit and sharper sword. Eggsy gave them a polite nod and walked easily by and didn’t turn his head. He paid attention to them, they’d pay attention to him. He hopped a bus and sat in the back. He had to find somewhere to sleep tonight, but luckily he had a spot.

*************************

Harry licked his fangs. “Tell me you didn’t scent that.”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “A smell a great many things Harry, it’s fucking London, it smells like shit.” He looked in the direction the lad had come from. “What I can do is use my eyes and see the Wellesley-Smythe house is being robbed.”

“Yes, yes,” Harry said. “We need to find that boy.”

“I’ll buy you a fucking twink, Harry,” Merlin replied. “House there? Being robbed. You know, the place we were coming to rob?”

“Why are you carrying that sword?” Harry looked at him and finally noticed the broadsword.

“Found it,” Merlin replied. “Wanted it.”

“A sword.”

“Shut up,” Merlin warned.

“How many does that equal now?”

“It isn’t that many,” Merlin muttered. “Someone just left it in an alley. Jamey needed a home.”

“You named it,” Harry laughed at him.

“Oh go eat some garlic bread,” Merlin said. “And again. The robbery?”

“Yes, but they have made our job easier,” Harry said. “See?” He pointed where Dean’s crew were all sneaking out and into a van. “Much easier to rob a van than a house.” He turned back to Merlin. “Are all 200 swords named?”

“It isn’t 200 swords. There are also knives and axes and a couple other things.” Merlin frowned at him. “And I don’t name them, they let me know their names.”

“That isn’t insane at all.”

“What’s insane is taking the piss for me and letting the van get away.” Merlin unstrapped the sword and handed it to Harry. A noise burst from him and he breathed out the fire scorched the ground at Harry’s feet. Harry didn’t move a centimeter. Merlin leapt into the air, a dark green and brown full sized dragon and flew after the van. Harry followed along at a more sedate pace. He stopped on the corner where the lad had been and breathed in.

He knew that scent, that blood, he just had to remember where. He heard Merlin’s roar in the sky and focused and stepped into the shadows and emerged in front of the van that Merlin had ripped the top off of.

“Gentlemen, we must relieve you of your stolen goods.”

Dean pulled a gun and fired and Harry easily dodged it. His fangs dropped and Merlin roared from the roof where he was resting. Harry in less than a minute had the group knocked out. He went through the back of the van and took the half dozen things that should never be in public hands. He opened a bag of jewelry and caught a whiff of the lad. He stole the leader's wallet. It was a small lead, but one nonetheless. Harry walked away and Merlin joined him back in human form. Harry handed him back the sword and they headed towards Kingsman Tailors.

“Tell me, your biggest claymore is named Little John isn’t it?”

“Fuck you Harry, it isn’t,” Merlin said. For a brief moment the sun came out and Merlin pushed him into a beam to watch him smoke. “Her name is Catherine and she is a beautiful creature.”

Harry laughed a little as he put out the fire on his shoulder and opened his umbrella to block the rays.

*****************************

It was a small storage locker, Eggsy could barely afford it, but the guy who owned the building took cash and fake names. He was in the basement; he was pretty sure it used to be a dungeon. He unlocked his door carefully and walked into space. It was maybe 4 square meters, one wall covered in shelves.

He had a plastic sheet on the ground, and a pile of blankets and pillows. There was a small cooler with power bars and a few bottles of water.

The guy who owned the building was smart enough to know people ducked in for a night or two. There was a bog and a sink in the corner that smelled horrible but beat pissing in an empty water bottle. He ate a few of the bars that promised enough packed calories to satisfy even a full blooded bone borne.

He ate four. He then sipped some water and spread the blankets out. He texted Jamal to let him know when it was safe to come home, and to keep an eye on his mum.

Eggsy reached into his jacket and took out the two pairs of shoes he had stolen. A pair of Louboutins that he put carefully on the third shelf on the right. His collection of women’s shoes was rather small. The other pair he pet and stroked and since he was alone hugged.

The winged trainers were perfect. Just perfect for his hoard.

No, it wasn’t a hoard. 1/68th bone borne meant he wasn’t even classified as having any dragon characteristics in the least. So this storage locker wasn’t his hoard. Just a bit of a collection. Up to 57 pairs now.

But not a hoard.

Certainly not one that would impress anyone ever. In no book or movie was a mate ever courted with a shoe hoard.

Eggsy sat down in the nest he made and turned on the camping lamp and grabbed one of the romance books in the corner. A historical story, a bone borne and fae borne were star crossed lovers and blah blah blah. The sex scenes were good to wank to. Two hours later he finished the story and cried a little at the happy ending.

He fell asleep and dreamed of flying.

It would be brilliant to fly.


	2. Chapter 2

Jamal gave him an all clear three days later. Eggsy went home and sure enough Dean was out. “Hey Mum,” Eggsy said after he was in the flat. “Ow,” he said when she smacked him.

“Oi, you can text fine with your friend, but not let me know you are okay?” Michelle whacked him again. “Was worried, baby.”

“I’m fine. How’s Dean?” Eggsy asked.

“Not mad at you,” she reassured him.

“How’d that happen?”

“Turns out you helped him more than you realized. Sold the one necklace for 25k, he did, so you are square.” Michelle went and pulled out a pan to make him a grilled cheese sandwich. “Guess it had some special charms on it or something. He and the boys went away for the weekend, casino down in Bristol.”

“They leave some of the money for food and bills?”

Michelle opened two slices of cheese. “Name brand,” she said. “Fridge is all stocked. And here you haven’t drunk your protein shake for a few days.” Michelle handed him the bottle.

“Ugh, Mum, I hate that shit,” Eggsy groaned and tried to push it back to her. “I am old enough, don’t need it.”

“And the doctor and that witch we consulted all agreed the gymnastics you did fucked up your bones, and you need these.” Michelle slapped the bottle into his hand. “Be thankful it is down to a couple a week and not every day like when you were a teen.”

“How do they not make these taste better?” Eggsy bitched before he drank the bottle down in a few chugs. “Blech.”

“Grilled cheese,” she offered and handed him the plate. “You good to watch Daisy for a couple hours? Mrs. Norris down the way said she’d pay me 50 quid to hide and bang on shit for the mundanes who come to her to speak to the dead.”

“Wait, she actually can though.”

“Sure, but you know people, they don’t want to just hear their granny loves them, they like the show.”

Eggsy laughed a bit. “Yeah, I can watch Daisy, missed her fierce.”

“I’m gonna shower then.” Michelle kissed his head and went to get cleaned up. Eggsy ate and found actual fruit in the crisper and had two apples. 

He cut up a banana for Daisy and put it on a plate. He went to her room and she was standing up in her crib. “Eggsy!”

“Hi, luv,” he said. He picked her up and changed her wet nappy and sat in her play corner with her. He gave her the plate and she squished the banana pieces and even ate some as he read a book to her. He heard the front door and knew they were alone. “Just us, wanna fly?”

‘YES!!!!” Daisy shouted. He cleaned her hands and rolled onto his back. He put his feet on her tummy and hoisted her up. “Roar!!!!! ROAR!!!!!” she shouted. He grinned at her and holding her arms moved his feet away so she dropped onto his stomach. She giggled, loving their secret game. “Warm time?” she asked.

Eggsy nodded and took off his hoodie. He had always run hot which was handy when they had lean winters that no matter how cold he got he was fine with a fleece hoodie. Daisy snuggled against his chest and sighed happily, she ran cold and Eggsy always made her feel good. Eggsy picked up the book of fairy tales and read to her while she snuggled.

*************************************

“He can lead us to the lad!” Harry snapped at Merlin. “Why aren’t you looking into him?” Harry was pacing around Merlin’s office. A week and Merlin hadn’t so much as picked up the wallet Harry had put on his desk. “Merlin, he is important, I feel it in my bones.”

“Good for you,” Merlin snapped back. “Ye know what else is important, stopping a goddamn magical pint mug from blowing up three square blocks in Kensington.”

“You and Percival fixed that two days ago,” Harry dismissed. “Research Dean Baker.”

“I’ve been awake for two hours,” Merlin replied. “Remember we had no option but me swallowing the mug and it went boom? Remember that?”

“You’re a dragon, explosions inside you are no big deal.”

“I’m fireproof on the outside, ye fucking bloodsucker, the magical containment field Percival through around it was the only thing that kept me alive!”

“Yes but you are alive so do that typing thing you do and find him.” Harry’s eyes widened when Merlin shut his computer off and rolled away on his chair. “Merlin!”

“No,” Merlin replied. “The man was a common thug, he is of no interest to us.”

“I am well aware of that, but the boy is.” Harry crouched in front of the chair. “Listen to me carefully. Are you listening Merlin, because this is very important - son of a bitch!” He collapsed to the ground in pain from the kick to his meat and veg that Merlin had delivered.

“Don’t try that hypno vampire bullshit on me,” Merlin said. “Ye know it doesn’t work.” Merlin looked down at Harry and twisted his chair side to side a little. The last time Harry been this obsessed with someone was...that was irrelevant, it was 17 years ago. He rolled back over to the desk and picked up the wallet. He hated the feel of it in his hand. He gave the leather a lick and rumbled low in his chest. “Dragon skin leather, charming.”

“He’s a tool, I’ll eat him later if it makes you happy.” Harry managed to get himself sitting up. “But it carried the scent of that boy.”

“Ye don’t even like them that young.”

“This might be a shock to you, Merlin, but not all of us think of mating and of sex 24 hours a day.” Harry adjusted his tie. “Some of us have better things to do.”

“I think about sex as much as the average dragon and ye know it.”

“Which is a lot, you are an oversexed species,” Harry groused.

“You really hate all those mundane novels that suggest full blood borne are pervy creepers waiting to seduce young innocents.” Merlin grinned a little at the sour look on his face. “Ohhh, Harry, please, please drink of me, I will totally get off on being your personal blood bank. One touch of your fangs to my neck and I will be coming in my pants. You are so dark and mysterious and my loins ache to be claimed by you.”

Harry glared and him and flipped him off as he stood up. He then smiled and reached into his back pocket. He pulled out a small switchblade. “Oh look what I found.” He flipped out the blade and dangled it, let it swing back and forth. He watched Merlin try to ignore it but his eyes kept being drawn to the blade. Back and forth, back and forth. “Nice little girl isn’t she?” Harry asked. 

“Gender neutral, they are Danny.” Merlin cursed to himself that Harry sucked him in with such a little trinket. He reached out for it but he was never as fast as Harry and the blade was back in Harry’s pocket. “Gimmie. You are mean to blades.”

“I do prefer guns,” Harry agreed. “Now then, Dean Baker?”

Merlin scowled and turned his computer on. He began to search muttering about useless best friends and their wild goose chases over boys of no consequence. “Shift borne, about 1/3rd, so some changing, but not full, rap sheet that is very...colourful but mostly a thief. Tons of arrests but few convictions, hmmm wonder who is on his payroll. Address, who cares, crew, who cares, married to Michelle Baker, nee Unwin, nee Johnson, who the fuck cares -” Merlin stopped typing. “Aw, fuck me, ye were right, I hate that. We care don’t we?”

“Michelle Unwin? Lee’s wife?” Harry shoved Merlin back, using full strength and Merlin was sent out the door and down the hall. 

Percival gently stopped the chair. “Problem?”

“Likely a giant one.”

“How giant?” Percival asked.

“HE’S LEE’S SON!” Harry’s shout could be clearly heard.

“Oh dear,” Percival said.

“Aye, fuck, things are going to get messy.” Merlin waved a hand and Percival gave him a push back towards his office.

“What’s all the noise?” Roxy asked poking her head out of the potions room.

“Harry is having a moment,” Percival explained. “We need to get to work.” He went into the room and grabbed a set of safety glasses and a black robe. “Double double toil and trouble.” He went to his favourite cauldron and lit a fire. He pulled ingredients off a shelf. “We need to restock the Harry has had a mad idea shelves.”

“Ugh, we had to regrow an eyeball last time.”

“I am aware.” Percival smiled at her. “There is nothing even Harry Hart can come up with that we can’t solve.”

She grinned back at him. “At least promise we can make his super disgusting tasting.”

“Of course, dear,” Percival agreed and reached for the eye of newt.

****************************************

He woke up at 2am and knew it was because of a dream that he didn’t remember. He went and took a piss and went outside. He climbed his way up to the roof of the council estate and lay back and watched the sky.

It was a full moon out and dragons were roaming the skies dipping and diving, making incredible patterns. There was a huge one, swooping around that most of the others avoided. It was incredible.

Majestic.

He could smell the potions being brewed under the moon and there were a couple fae that he could see at the other end of the roof fucking under the moonlight. He could hear reality shows on tellys, and some car alarms that everyone ignored. Eggsy put some music on his phone and put his headphones on.

He watched the dragons in the sky until only one was left, that big fucker that moved into a spot of light enough that Eggsy thought he was maybe green. He shivered when the dragon roared and shot fire into the air. He shot down into the heart of London and was gone.

Eggsy made his way back down to the flat when it was almost dawn. He rolled his eyes when he saw the protein shake with the little Drink Me note on it. He slugged it down, fuck it was vile, and crawled back into bed to get a few more hours sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

“How do we approach him?” Percival asked as they sat in their conference room. It was only the four of them, other agents being busy, and frankly Harry wanted to keep those in the loop on this to a very small number. It really helped that they currently were still leaderless. Rest in agony, Chester. “We could try the direct and honest approach?” His fingers were tapping on the table, restless after being steady for another intense round of potion making. They all just stared at him. “What, it is a viable option. And one that is less likely to challenge Harry’s regeneration skills. Again.”

“We’re a secret organization,” Harry said. “He probably doesn’t even know that his father died in our employment. Saying we are Kingsman would mean nothing to him.” Harry looked at the screen. “He looks…unimpressive.”

“Looks are often deceiving,” Merlin reminded him. “Ye look like a gentleman after all.” He tapped his clipboard a bit. “A bit of a record, but difficult to tell if it is his idea or Baker railed him into things. Excellent marks at school but never went to uni. Look at the gymnastics in his youth, meet after meet gold medals, and then when he was 12 he stopped.”

“Makes sense,” Roxy said. “Full bone borne take puberty the hardest. A lot leave the activities they were doing. You have the hardest time, I mean a lot don’t except it and just boom wake up in dragon form.”

“Yes, I am well aware,” Merlin replied.

“Where were you when you did your first shift?” Roxy asked, curious. Merlin never talked about his past.

“Footie pitch,” Merlin said. “I was stuck goal tending because Sean was out sick, I reached to block the ball and when I looked down, I saw claws. Ye know it is coming but fuck those first few times where you have no control hurt like a bitch.”

“I had to go to the dentist when my fangs dropped the first time, couldn’t retract them for three days, made soup very difficult.” Harry added in. “You two are really lucky, puberty is kindest to witches.”

“True, just had to worry about tits and my period and being hyper sexualized by all the creepers out there in the world,” Roxy said cheerfully.

“I broke my nose on my ceiling having levitated during my first sex dream,” Percival shared. “Everyone suffers in puberty. Now again, I vote we just approach the boy.”

Merlin shook his head. “As much as it pains me to agree with Harry, and trust me it hurts mightily, the direct approach will not be great. We all look too authoritative, he would be on his guard immediately. And he is criminal enough to remember Harry and I well enough, to be concerned if we approach.”

“What if we got him arrested?” Harry suggested. “Then we could bail him out, impress him, make him feel beholden to us?”

“That’s not the way, and ye know it,” Merlin replied. “What if we just kidnap him? Or invade his dreams?”

“If my way is wrong, what the hell is that?”

“How we got you, isn’t it?” Merlin said. He thought about it. “Right, any plan that resulted in me dealing with Harry for 30 years has to be a bad one. Noted. I’m out of ideas.”

“Do you ever wonder how we actually manage to save the world on a regular basis?” Percival asked the group. “Because I do. A lot.”

Harry let his fangs drop and stared at Percival. “Because we are just that good.”

Percival just raised a brow. “So luck and chance?”

“Aye,” Merlin agreed. “That and being some of the strongest of our ilk since before the bloods intermingled.”

“Gentlemen, I have an idea. And it is one that might actually work. Because before we try to bring him in, we need to understand who he is.” Roxy grabbed the bag at her feet and rummaged and pulled out a shimmering blue vial. She tilted it back and forth. “We just need him where I can get him.”

“Now that I can work with,” Merlin said and began to type.

****************************************  
“Are you serious?” Eggsy looked at the passes in Jamal’s hand.

“Swear down, they are legit,” Jamal said. “Won them on a radio trivia contest. Two VIP passes to that new dance club.”

“Fucking hell, that place looks sick.”

“And we’re going! Saturday night. Going to get me a pretty fae boy, you know I love those glow in the dark eyes.” Jamal did a little dance. “You move for shit, but sure some bird with let you try.”

“Haha, I got moves you wanker.” Eggsy shoved Jamal. “This is going to be aces.”

“Yeah it is,” Jamal agreed. “Now you about done?” Jamal had found Eggsy down in the back room of the pub, doing some light forgery for Dean. Eggsy had really impressive cursive writing and could fake old documents like nobody’s business.

“Yup, that was the last one, pint?”

“You know it.”

Saturday night Eggsy put on his best trackies, and the winged trainers he had grabbed from his hoard. Not his hoard, his collection. He went out into the living room and Dean and Michelle were watching a movie. “Going out with Jamal, later.”

“Hold up, Muggsy,” Dean said. His eyes were red today. Michelle was sitting very carefully. Red eyes were never a good sign. “You’re going to that club right?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said. “Why?”

“Life a few wallets,” Dean ordered.

Eggsy breathed a sigh of relief, hell he had been planning that anyways. “Sure,” he replied.

Dean looked at him, wondering about the easy agreement but decided to let it go. “Go on then, your mum and I need to have some fun.”

Ugh, Eggsy thought, but hurried out before Dean could think of anything else. He and Jamal rode the underground across the city to the club. There was a long line and the shifter doorman tried to send them to the back of it, sneering at their clothes, but Jamal held up the passes and the man had to let them in. They handed them over at the bar and found it meant free drinks the whole night and access to a private room.

“We ain’t never this lucky,” Eggsy pointed out.

“Then I’m going to enjoy every second of it, because not going to happen again,” Jamal shouted to him as he wound his way to the dance floor. The club was dark and filled with gorgeous people. The music seductive. And Eggsy looked around and realized how few mundane were in the place. The air just felt different when you were in a room with people who were all 1/4 blood or higher. And he thought in this club there was a lot higher. He finished his drink and wiggled the empty glasses to the bartender who left the others to make him a drink.

“Wish I got that kind of service,” a girl said next to him. Eggsy looked over. Damn she was pretty. Not very tall but in her heels was close to his height. She was in a lacy black dress, her hair bright red and spilling over her shoulders. Her eyes were slightly different colours. Not really noticeable unless you were just a few centimeters apart and she was leaning in close to him. “Tell me your secret?” she asked.

Eggsy shrugged. “Just lucky tonight I guess.” The bartender gave him his drink and Eggsy motioned to the girl and the bartender looked.

“Champagne,” she said. “It is a champagne sort of night.” The bartender brought it and looked to Eggsy who nodded and then he moved along. The girl looked at Eggsy. “Thanks,” she said and tapped her glass to his and sipped. “Wanna dance?”

“Uh, sure,” he said. He followed her onto the dance floor, and they moved together well, and she was definitely coming onto him. They stayed out grinding and pulling at each other until they were both sweaty. “I have access to one of the private rooms. Maybe we could chat?”

She smiled at him and fuck she was gorgeous. “I like chatting,” she agreed as she rubbed her body against him. They went upstairs and Eggsy found the room that he and Jamal had been given and prayed for his luck to hold out just a little. He opened the door and Jamal wasn’t in there. Thank fuck. He hung his gold chain on the knob to give Jamal the clue to stay the fuck out. It was charmed so that no one could move it off of something except him, so he knew it wouldn’t be stolen. He closed the door and looked at her.

“What’s a full moon borne doing with a mundane like me, just after a bit of rough tonight?” Eggsy asked. He wondered why she froze a little at that, why her smile fell. He realized just how fake all her smiles had been. “Bet? Story to tell your friends?”

“What makes you so sure I’m a full?” she asked. She went to the wall and got some music playing.

“Eyes,” he said. “Full moon borne their eyes are always just a little bit off from each other colour wise.”

“Notice that?”

“I notice a lot of things,” Eggsy said. He moved closer to her. “So what you playing at?”

She tilted her head up to him. “Not playing, not like how you mean. Broke up with my boyfriend, going with the old adage, only way to get over a boy is -”

“To get under another one,” Eggsy finished. He put his hands on her hips, pulled her close. “I been there a time or two.” He tilted his head down and kissed her. Her mouth was soft, and moved well under his. They stood there and kissed and kissed and Eggsy felt her pushing him towards one of the leather couches and he went willingly. He didn’t have a single problem with her using him.

“You don’t have a problem with me not actually getting under you, do you?” she asked and pushed him and he sat. She reached under her dress and pulled her knickers off.

“Not a one,” Eggsy agreed and she smiled and for a moment it looked almost real. She sat on his lap and things became frantic. Hands and lips moving them pushing against each other. She tugged his hair and he groaned at the feeling. He squeezed her arse. “Think this room is stocked?” he asked.

“I am,” she countered and pulled a condom out from inside her bra.

“Love clever girls.”

“I’m more clever than most.”

“I believe that,” Eggsy said and pullled the zipper of her dress down so he could lick at a nipple through her sheer bra. After that it was just a blur of passion and sensation and good but forgettable. 45 minutes later she was zipping up and straightening her hair.

“That was fun,” she said. “Wanna go get a drink and another dance?”

Eggsy had dropped the condom in the rubbish bin and was fixing his own clothes. “Yeah, sounds good uh…darlin,” he said.

“Don’t worry sweetie, never gave you my name. You haven’t forgotten anything.” She winked at him and they went out the door, Eggsy putting his chain back on. They danced a little and then she sort of just disappeared. He and Jamal stumbled home at 3am and he drank his protein shake.

*************************************  
“He was lying,” Harry said.

“He wasn’t,” Roxy protested. “He said he was mundane and he believes it.”

“A put on,” Harry dismissed.

Roxy glared at him. “I damn well know when a guy is lying to me and he wasn’t. He could tell I was full and utterly believed he wasn’t.” She and Harry kept fighting about it as Percival worked with the hair and semen samples they had procured thanks to Roxy.

Merlin was monitoring the tracking spell Roxy had imprinted onto his skin.

“Why couldn’t one of the other witches handle this?” Percival asked as he dumped the condom contents into the cauldron. He was wearing double gloves. “This is disturbing for me on a few levels.”

“Well, don’t be the best we have, then,” Harry commented. “And I’m telling you it is a lie.” He was about to argue more when there was a minor explosion and a cloud of blue smoke that arose from the cauldron. “What the hell is that?”

Percival stared at it in shock. “Roxy, test the hair, with the grey elixir.” He flicked a knife out from under his sleeve and turned and quickly sliced at Merlin’s arm. In a smooth motion he threw the drops of blood into the cauldron and there was a sizzle and snap and more smoke. “Well, shit,” he said.

Merlin stared down at his arm. “Excuse me?” A bit of smoke came out of his nostril. Percival tossed him the knife in apology. Merlin cleaned it with Harry’s pocket square. “Hello Marcus,” he said to the thin blade. It disappeared.

Roxy mixed the hair and the grey elixir in her small bowl. “Well, shit,” she said in the exact same tone as Percival.

“What does it all mean?” Harry said.

“He wasn’t lying, Harry,” Percival explained. “His essence is screaming. Choking in chains. He said he is mundane, because he thinks he is. Because someone has been poisoning him, his dragon has never been let out. Not even once.”

Roxy wiped away a tear. “His soul must be hurting so much, and he wouldn’t even know why.”

“But his father. He was seven when Lee was killed. He would remember him, he would know he is full bone borne,” Harry said. His fangs were down and he looked angry.

Merlin quickly poured him a glass of blood to soothe the red seeping into his eyes, to stop Harry from murdering everyone. “We need a plan now,” Merlin said. “He can’t be left to suffer like this.”

Percival nodded. “I’ll get to work in the library, there has to be a potion or something that can reverse the damage done to him.”

“I’ll help,” Roxy said quietly, leaving Harry and Merlin alone.

Harry’s eyes were still red. “What have they done to Lee’s son?”

Merlin looked at the cut on his arm and held it to Harry’s lips, let him lick the fresh blood. “I don’t know, but we will fix it. I promise Harry.” Merlin’s eyes glowed and his breath was steam. Harry might care the most but he wasn’t the only one who wanted answers.


	4. Chapter 4

Eggsy was tired this. People had been following him for a week if not longer. And Dean was acting weird, all scared and shit. Not much scared him, but every time he looked like he wanted to snap at Eggsy or have one of the gang take a whack at him, he would sort of gaze off into the distance and just forget about it. Once when he had been in the sort of mood that usually had Eggsy hiding in his locker, it was like he couldn’t see Eggsy at all, even with Eggsy right in front of him.

Eggsy was pretty sure whatever was going on with Dean went with his feeling of being followed.

He stayed out of shadows as best he could, and listened carefully.

It was hard to tell if it was paranoia, or if someone really was there, behind him, and a little to the left. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t see them.

But he knew someone who could see a lot.

“Hey, Mrs. Norris, you mind helping me out a little? If you’re not too busy?” Eggsy asked when she let him in. It was her day off and he hated to bother her, but she’d be able to tell if something were up.

“Eggsy, been waiting for your visit,” she said and head for her couch, leaned deep onto her walker. Eggsy took her elbow and helped get comfy. He got her a cuppa and a few biscuits. “Now then, you have questions about your father. He watches out for you, you know.”

“I think I’m being followed,” Eggsy said. He then paused, realizing what she said. “My da? Why would I have questions about him? He died of sepsis, a rupture appendix while at work and didn’t get to the hospital on time.”

Mrs. Norris looked at him. “Of course dear. Now you are being followed?”

“You’ve seen my dad?”

“So followed?” she said. “Get me the seeing eye of Anubis.” She pointed to a cluttered table

“You mean that glass thingy there that I bet you picked up for 2 quid at the charity shop?” Eggsy teased gently.

“You bone bornes always teasing, it is in your nature to be little shits.”

“Mundane,” Eggsy said. “Remember?” He knew she was topping 80 at this point and wondered if she was maybe mixing him up with someone else. “Eggsy Unwin, Michelle’s son, Mrs. Norris.”

“Yes, dearie, I know, now fetch,” she said.

Eggsy handed her the glass carefully and sat on the sofa with her. “Probably crazy, or it’s the filth looking to turn someone on Dean.”

“Hush,” she said and with the dexterity of someone decades younger and without arthritis began to toss the ball between her hands, rolling it over wrists, weaving it in the air until it spun midair on its own. It changed colours again and again, green and black warring inside the glass, until a golden spear shot through and ringed around them. Some blue slid in and seemed to almost hug the black and a lighter blue looked like it was hugging the gold before the green tugged it away. It was a beautiful little colour show. The ball drifted in the air towards him and he reached out but stopped himself. “Go on,” she said.

Eggsy reached and plucked the ball out of the air.

“Close your eyes and tell me what you see,” she said.

Eggsy closed his eyes. His breath slowed and he felt something deep inside, screaming to get out. And he saw his father. In a uniform, crouched in front of him and telling him to be brave and take care of his mum. His dad hugged him and was so hot and he breathed smoke onto Eggsy and made him giggle. They roared together and then his dad walked out the door. Eggsy dropped the ball and in an instant the memory was gone. He blinked and looked at Mrs. Norris. “Sorry ma’am, I didn’t see anything.” He shrugged. “That mean I’m crazy.”

“Oh no dear, you are being followed by the most dangerous team in all of England. They want to gobble you up.” Eggsy paled, there were rumours about sacrifice and cannablism, but those were old wives tales. Mundane hadn’t been eaten in a couple hundred years, not since their numbers grew to a decent size. She laughed a little. “Not like that dearie…well one will want to eat you, but rather in a different way. Eggsy, there are choices in front of you, dangerous ones, powerful ones. Might I suggest you go buy yourself a suit. At Kingsman Tailors, perhaps?”

“How the fuck do I have the money for that?”

“Fine, don’t buy a suit, go case the joint,” she waved a hand. “They keep 1000 pounds in the til.”

“Jesus, that would keep Dean off me for a couple weeks easy. Not that he’s been on me much.” Eggsy looked at her. “Wot you about Mrs. Norris?”

“It’s time, long past time for you to fly my boy.” She reached out and gripped his hand. “Do you know the tricky trick, the hushy hush secret of flying?”

Those words stirred a memory that drifted away again, but not before he said, “You jump and just decide to not come back down.”

“There you go, then. The time is coming to jump. Make sure you bloody leap as high as you can.” Mrs. Norris got up. “Now then, that rather wore me out and I’m off to nap.”

Eggsy slipped her a few pounds and went to the door. “My dad ever speak to you?” he asked.

“No lad, he doesn’t,” she answered. “But how he looks at you?” She looked a little passed Eggsy, like he was right there behind Eggsy’s shoulder. “You are going to make him proud.”

“I ain’t the sort to take pride in, ma’am, but thanks.” Eggsy left and Mrs. Norris went to her bedroom the ball following her. She sat herself on her bed and picked up her phone. She hit face time. “A little over kill the charm you put on that damn cheap bit of glass wasn’t it? Not exactly subtle.”

Percival sighed. “I know but the people in charge of this are incapable of subtle. Was it at least a pretty show?”

“Hmm, yes it was. He seemed impressed.”

“And you stuck to the script I gave you?” Percival asked.

“Of course, of course,” Mrs. Norris said. She mostly had. Sort of had. She sent him along to Kingsman, it was close enough, and there had been things she had wanted to say to that lad for awhile. “One knows better than to muck about with you lot.”

Percival squinted a little, not sure he bought it but had no reason to disbelieve her. “The funds will be transfered into your account. We thank you for your assistance.”

“He is right messed up, you know.”

“Aren’t we all?”

“He’s a good boyo and you lot better not strip that out of him,” she warned. “Or I’ll be telling your mother all about it.”

“My mother has been dead for 15 years,” Percival said.

“She wants you to know that you are using too much St John’s in your healing elixirs.”

“My healing potions are only used when my people can’t convince the doctors to give them any more painkillers. The point is to be strong and knock them out so I can get actual work done.”

“Devious. I like it.”

“Thank you again, ma’am for your service.” Percival hung up and Mrs. Norris lay down for her nap, hoping they would actually help that poor boy.

**********************************  
Eggsy looked at the front of the store, bloody hell it was posh. And old. And posh.

He was in his cleanest and nicest clothes. Denim, a dress shirt and leather bracers on his arms. They had been his dad’s and were a classic look. He pasted a smile on his face and went in, noting the security cameras on the outside. Would be more inside to, he bet. The shop looked nice, like something out of a movie, and had another shopper who was talking to the guy working. Eggsy poked around a little and looked to corners and couldn’t see cameras. Must meant hidden then. He pocketed a pair of cuff links and poked about more until the other bloke left the shop. He turned back to the guy working the counter and it was someone different.

Eggsy automatically began to catalogue. Older, early fifties, posh, fit, glasses were a little heavy on his face but not to bad. And wearing two guns. No suit cut could hide what Eggsy knew to look for. And he had that air about him. “Vampire working a clothes shop, not very common is it?” Eggsy asked.

The man made a face. “Must we use such a vulgar term?” He then smoothed his features. “Now then may I help you with more than that pair of cuff links you pocketed?”

Eggsy smiled at him and put them back. “You been following me bruv, haven’t you?”

“Have you seen me following you?” the man countered.

“No, but I’ve seen you, yeah?” The guy was a little bit familiar.

“You bumped into me once leaving the underground,” he said.

“Lots of people bump into people, crowded city.” Eggsy moved forward. “Who the fuck are you?”

“Harry Hart, of Kingsman Tailors. A pleasure to formally meet you Eggsy,” Harry held out a hand.

“You know if you want to pretend you ain’t been haunting me, shouldn’t say my name before I offer it,” Eggsy did not take the hand. “I ain’t gonna grass on Dean.”

“I don’t care about Baker.” Harry adjusted a few things on the table. “I think you are very interesting.” His voice lowered, went deeper and richer. “Would you like to find me very interesting? Eggsy come closer, just a little closer.”

“Oi, you want a bit of rough you don’t have to be a creeper, just take a walk down the right street with a full wallet. If this were all an elaborate way to hook up, you need help mate.”

Harry blinked. “Interesting.”

Eggsy got ready to lay into him, but his eyes were distracted by a wall of shoes. Patent leather, shiny, some with weird little holes in them, all just perfect there in a row. But it was a simple pair that called to him, one with no extra fuss. He moved a little closer to the wall. “You use the word interesting too much,” Eggsy said. He could almost touch the shoes.

“He does, and trust me what he finds interesting seldom ever is,” Merlin said coming out of a change room. “But in the case of you, he is right. Hello, Eggsy. Thought ye would spend a little longer casing the place.”

“Wot the fuck is wrong with you people?” Eggsy looked at the two men. “And if you were going to try to hit on me, to get me in your cult or whatever it is you want, it shoulda been that one.”

Merlin’s jaw dropped and Harry looked between them. “Interesting,” Harry repeated.

“Oh fuck off and stop following me yeah?” Eggsy said. “Also you shouldn’t leave doors open like that, letting people see inside your inner sanctum.” Both men turned their heads and Eggsy grabbed the pair of shoes and ran out of the shop.

Harry opened his mouth and Merlin flicked a knife out. “If ye say interesting I will stab you.”

“Oh no, I am terribly worried about a wound that will heal in five seconds.”

“I will make sure that it doesn’t heal. Good distraction on his part, though,” Merlin said.

“Indeed, imagine anyone finding you attractive.”

“I meant the door comment, you fucking vampire.”

Harry looked pained. “Must you call me that, you dragon?”

“Yes, it is the 21st century, Harry, it is becoming a more acceptable phrase.”

“It is inelegant.”

“So is the way you eat those blood thai noodles ye love.”

“What do we do, he’s onto us,” Harry looked at the empty place on the wall. “And he stole shoes. Who steals shoes? At least he stole those lovely oxfords instead of those appalling brogues you love.”

“We make ourselves a little more known,” Merlin said. “Percival finished his report. Whatever is poisoning him, is in liquid form. A pill wouldn’t be breaking down what needs to be given to him quick enough in his system.”

Harry nodded. He had an idea.

****************************  
Eggsy stayed out late with the boys and had some fun. When he got home, his mum had left out a snack and his protein shake.

He took them to his room and stripped down to his pants. He grabbed his tablet and ate the snack and sighed when he reached for the protein shake. He heard something crinkle just a little as he shifted and moved his pillows.

Underneath was a handwritten note.

_Stick with water for a few days._   
_Trust me._   
_Or don’t._   
_You owe us 300 pounds for those shoes. You didn’t even steal the right size for you._   
_H.H._

How the fuck would the guy have gotten the note in there? Dean paid a fortune to some of the fae borne in the estate for wards and charms to stop people from getting in. And like Eggsy was going to do anything that prat suggested. But on the other hand, he hated the fucking things. He took it to the kitchen and dumped it down the sink and rinsed carefully, leaving no trace or scent. Eggsy went back to his room and lay down. He reached under the bed and pulled the oxfords up beside him. He traced the lacings, a finger around the sole. He couldn’t drop this pair in his locker, he needed them close for reasons he didn’t know.

That night he dreamed of his dad over and over, in an endless loop, of them roaring together.

In the morning he almost remembered.


	5. Chapter 5

“Eggsy warm?” Daisy asked one night when he was watching her. It had been almost three weeks since that note under his pillow and he hadn’t heard or seen those blokes again. But he felt like they were waiting. Fuck knew for what, but he didn’t think they were gone.

It was in the single digits out but he in a vest, he had been feeling so warm the last week. Daisy was loving it. He took the vest off and she crawled on top of him and sighed happily. “Hot,” she said.

“Yeah, babe even more than usual,” he agreed and rubbed her back. Dean and his mum were out at the pub and he was minding her for the night. He watched her poke at his skin. She found one of the dry parts, where he skin was cracking, flaking no matter what he did. “No very nice huh?” He had gone through two bottles of lotion trying to help it out.

“Pretty Eggsy,” she replied and slowly drifted off to sleep. Eggsy held her a little longer before putting her down in her crib. He read in his room until he heard them come back and once their bedroom door slammed shut, he threw his vest back on and decided to climb up to the roof. It should have been freezing but he didn’t notice. It was a little cloudy and not many dragons were out and about. But the big one was. Eggsy watched him doing big circles like he was looking for someone. Eggsy realized that he had never seen that one flying with anyone. 

You could tell mated dragons, they always flew together, and just were fucking brilliant to watch. He scratched at one of the dry patches of skin on his bicep and watching the big one as it seemed to circle closer and closer. 

Like a lot closer. Shit, it was only a few blocks away flying low to the buildings and Eggsy could see he was a rich green, brown patches on his shoulders and wings. And holy shit he was a big fucker. Like the type where he shouldn’t even be living in the city but in the country all that space to roam.

He shot up into the sky, and roared and fuck Eggsy couldn’t believe he was actually seeing London’s Beast of the Sky this close, he never came down. People were coming outside and taking pictures and video on their cameras, all bundled up in sweaters and blankets. Eggsy was sure he wouldn’t come back down, not with the crowds gathering in the street.

But he did. The dragon flew down slowly, glided lower and lower and Eggsy fell down the roof a little when he realized that the dragon was staring at him and a few meters away. He could see the dragon’s hazel eyes. The dragon was flapping its wings just enough to stay in the air and Eggsy could feel the wind of it.

“Hey?” Eggsy shouted to the beast. “Nice night innit?” He began to giggle hysterically. “Fuck you are a gorgeous beast.” The dragon huffed smoke at him. It wrapped around Eggsy, felt amazing. “What now?” Eggsy asked.

The dragon roared and with a flap shot up back into the sky. Eggsy watched until the dragon was gone, hidden by buildings or in the clouds which had started to really fill the sky. Eggsy got down off the roof and made his way to the flat having to stop repeatedly because of all the people wanting to talk about what happened. Not that he had any answers.

He went to bed and dreamed of flying with the beast of the sky.

He woke up feeling like shit but that had been the last couple of weeks. Eggsy had a quick shower and more moisturizer slathered on and he went to get some breakfast and when he was there, Dean cold cocked him. 

“Wot the fuck?” Eggsy shouted as Dean started hitting him again and again. He did his best to protect his head. So much for Dean not noticing him.

“Wot the fuck was that Eggsy? This morning have a dozen messages from people saying that a dragon paid attention to you? And not just a dragon the biggest in the city. Who was he Eggsy?”

“I don’t know!” Eggsy shouted. “Swear down Dean, I don’t know shit.”

“Fucking liar,” Dean screamed, his eyes changing colour with every breath. He hit Eggsy some more and reached for the butcher’s knife on the counter.

“Dean,” Michelle said. “Stop. He doesn’t know anything.” She didn’t scream, didn’t shout, just said it calmly. Both men stared at her. “If he did, if he had an alliance with that big fucker, do you think he’d still be here working for you? He’d have gone running to him for protection, like how he runs all the time.”

Dean relaxed just a little. 

Michelle stepped up to Dean. “No lies, baby. He doesn’t know anything. When does he ever?”

“Yer mum’s got a point Muggsy. You are the useless sort, aren’t you?” Dean laughed and cuffed Eggsy up the head. “Sorry about that,” Dean said. “No hard feelings.”

Eggsy was red in humiliation.

Dean looked at Michelle, “Need to go talk to Rotty. Have food ready for me in about 90.”

“Sure baby,” Michelle agreed and kissed Dean. When he walked out, Michelle immediately went over and checked on Eggsy, cleaned up the blood with Daisy’s baby wipes. “Okay?” she asked.

Eggsy stared at her. “Mum?”

“I had to get him to stop somehow,” she said.

“I’m...do you think that about me?”

“No sweetie,” Michelle swore. She touched his cheek. “So hot, are you sick?”

“Bit of flu,” Eggsy dismissed. He reached up to check his lip and Michelle noticed his skin.

“That’s not looking good.” Michelle touched the skin. “Eggsy you’ve been finishing your shakes all the way down haven’t you?” 

“Course Mum,” Eggsy said.

Michelle reached into the fridge. “Here, drink it now.”

“Mum, had one last night, don’t need another for a couple days.”

Michelle’s eyes hardened. “Drink it, Eggsy. You are sick and it will help.” They stared at each other, Michelle holding the bottle up. “Doctor’s orders.”

“Mum, you’ve never lied to me have you?” Eggsy looked at the bottle. “About Dad?”

“Drink the shake, Eggsy,” she repeated.

Eggsy took the shake and drank it all and showed her the empty bottle. “Why do I have dreams of Dad in a uniform?”

“He were in construction, must be thinking of his hard hat and safety gear.”

“Mum?”

“Yes sweetie?” 

“What have you done?”

Michelle rinsed the bottle and put in recycling. “I’ve kept you safe. I’ve kept you free. I need to check on your sister."

Once she was down the hall, Eggsy grabbed a plastic bag from under the sink and bolted out of the flat. He got down to street level and stuck his fingers down his throat.

*******************************

Percival was consulting with Andrew at the front store, when Eggsy walked in. “Mr. Unwin, how may we help you today? You don’t look well.”

“Of course you know who I am,” Eggsy muttered. “Something isn’t right. I stopped drinking anything but water that I pour myself and things are feeling wrong. And then the Beast of the Sky decides to say hello and just -” Eggsy shook his head.

“Oh did he now?” Percival asked. He would be having a talk with Merlin about that. So much for laying low. He went over and took Eggsy’s elbow to guide him to a seat. He noticed the bag and that it seemed to be sloshing. “What is that?”

“Mum made me drink a shake.” Eggsy held out the bag. “Sorry got some bile and toothpaste and leftover Chinese in it.” He smiled sheepishly. “Anyway you can figure out what was in it?”

“Go into potions, my mother said. You clearly have a gift, she said. The world will be saved by your skills, she said. I really need to go yell at her grave again,” Percival said, but he took the bag. “Why couldn’t I have been good at enchantments? I’ve touched your semen and now your sick. I know far too much about the inside of you, Mr. Unwin.”

“Where the fuck did you get my jizz?” Eggsy asked.

“That Mr. Unwin is a conversation for another day, many days from now,” Percival said. “Andrew, while I deal with this...sample, take Mr. Unwin upstairs to the study, provide him with a snack.”

“Of course sir.” Andrew smiled at Eggsy and took him upstairs.

Percival went through the changing room and stepped through the mirror and into the estate. Merlin looked over at him and down at the bag. He knew better than to say anything when Percival had his I am trying not to murder you face.

“We are talking about your visit to Eggsy, but first I have to analyze his sick.” Percival smiled grimly. “Where’s Harry?”

“Garden level, trying to figure out that black box again,” Merlin said. 

“Well Eggsy is at the shop, I would advise someone go keep an eye on him. You seem to like doing that.” Percival stalked off to his lab, the bag starting to drip a little.

Merlin finished up his work and went and stepped through the mirror. He met Andrew coming down the stairs.

“The boy fell asleep. I decided to let him be.”

“Thank you,” Merlin said. He went up to the study and Eggsy was stretched out and Andrew had even put a blanket over him. Merlin sat on the ground near Eggsy’s head and watched the lad. He was restless in his sleep. And beautiful. A little smoke, just the tiniest puffs was coming out. He must be powerful indeed if only a few weeks without being drugged was making this change in him. “Oh lad, we will see ye fly.” Merlin blew a small puff of smoke at Eggsy and smiled a bit when his nose twitched.

“Is that romance?” Harry asked from the doorway.

Merlin didn’t flush, Harry could never make that happen, but he got up and he and Harry moved away. “Just a greeting. He is changing quicker than we thought. He is as strong as Lee. Which answers the question of Michelle.”

“How?”

“Half bloods can transform, but it is work and they wouldn't shake the poison off this quickly.” Merlin watched Eggsy. “I bet you anything, Michelle is full bone borne too.”

“Anything including that sword on the wall in your hoard in the middle?”

Merlin looked pained but nodded. “Aye, I would even bet Antonio.”

Harry gave him a look. “Well then.”

“Well then.”

Eggsy woke up slowly, feeling comfortable. He looked over at the two men. “This is all your fault.”

“Many things are,” Merlin agreed.

Eggsy looked at his eyes. “So it was you then.”

Harry stared in shock as red dusted Merlin’s cheeks. “What was you then?”

“Nothing of consequence right now,” Merlin said. “Eggsy how are ye feeling?”

“Like my skin don’t fit. Like I’m so close to understanding so much and I am terrified. Not sure I want to bruv.” Eggsy admitted. 

“Then you can go back to drinking the shakes, and forget you ever met us.”

“How do I do that?” Eggsy asked. “How do I go back to the dark, when I’ve had this small glimpse of light?”

“I don’t know,” Harry chimed in. “You have choices to make, and soon.”

“What choice is that?”

“Become who you are, or stay who you are.”

“That makes no sense,” Eggsy protested.

“It does, when you reflect on it.” Harry went over to the window and opened the curtain. The sun had him jumping back. “Fuck when did that come out?”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Excellent job ruining a serious moment.” He walked over to Eggsy. “How many pieces in your life are missing or don’t fit?”

“Too many, I'm starting to think.”

“We knew your father,” Merlin said. “He was a great man. And he was -”

“No,” Eggsy whispered. “Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.”

“The words are that scary?”

Eggsy nodded. He looked at Merlin. “What’s the Beast of the Sky have in his lair then? The world wonders.”

“One day, maybe you’ll see,” Merlin said. There was a knock and he went to open the door. Percival walked in and nodded to Harry.

“Eggsy, what were you told about those protein shakes?” Percival asked.

“I did gymnastics as a kid, yeah? Pretty hard and broke a bone when I were 11 or 12? The doctor said I had really weak bones, needed these shakes to strengthen them. Mum went to this coven for a second opinion and they agreed.” Eggsy looked at them. “Had to drink it every day until I was 21 or so, then 2 or 3 times a week.” Eggsy bit his lip. “Guessing your mojo says more than a fuck ton of calcium is in them huh?”

Percival smiled sadly. He held out a flask. “This can’t undo the physical aspects of what you’ve been fed, only time can do that. But it will help your memories. Those have been coming back, haven’t they?”

Eggsy looked at the flask. “My dad weren’t in construction. And he roared.” He got up and took the flask but didn’t drink it. “Thanks, bruv.” He looked at the three men. “I gotta go.”

Harry stepped forward. “Eggsy, please, let us -”

“Got to make a choice right? Well that choice isn’t happening here and now. I know where you are.” Eggsy walked out. He took the underground home and when a few people tried to talk to him about the dragon he just ignored them. He walked into the flat and his mum was sitting at the table, a cuppa in her hand.

“Daisy’s at the sitters,” Michelle said.

Eggsy put the flask on the table and sat down. “Anything you want to tell me before I drink that?”

Michelle smiled at him and raised her mug. “Cheers,” she said.

“Cheers,” Eggsy replied and swallowed every drop of the flask.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> we find out what and why michelle did

Eggsy expected something crazy to happen, like he’d float or hell turn full dragon, no matter that the potions guy said it would just help with his memories. But he figured those guys were insane and clearly had an agenda of their own. But nothing happened.

“Whoever you bought that off of, sold you some snake oil, I’m thinking,” Michelle said.

Eggsy opened his mouth to yell at her and instead, “your hair was short,” was what came out.

“Wot?” Michelle looked at him in shock.

And for once when he reached for a memory it was actually there. “He loved you neck. I remember him constantly nuzzling in,” Eggsy said. “I thought for the longest time that was how people kissed - the guy nuzzled the girl’s neck. But that’s not all people. That’s bone bornes.” He looked at her. “He and I would roar.”

“You would,” she agreed. She just sipped her tea.

Eggsy reached into his memories. They weren’t flooding in, just sort of there, files, he could reach for and sift through. “Dad were full bone borne weren’t he? He wore a uniform because he went into the army.”

“Royal marines, fuck he looked good in that outfit.” Michelle smiled at the memory.

“Why’d you take him away from me?” Eggsy asked, sounding like a small child.

“They did, when he died for them. They told me he died a hero. But they were lying. I could tell.” Michelle shrugged. “They’re the ones that took him from you.”

Eggsy closed his eyes and it was there just at the edge, wanting to be remembered. He reached for it. “He was red. When he flew, he was red.” He opened his eyes. “And you were pale yellow. You two looked like flames when you flew together.”

Michelle nodded. “We were. Always hated flying, shifting to be honest. But he loved flying with me. So I did it sometimes.”

“How could you hate flying? It looks incredible.”

“It’s unseemly,” she said unthinkingly.

Eggsy blinked. That wasn’t in the tone of voice that he was used to from his mum. That sounded stiff, posh. “Mum?”

“Well it is, making a production of it,” Michelle replied and she still had that uppercrust BBC tone in her voice. “It is all well and good to be full bone borne, but really gadding about in the late 20th Century? Unnecessary.”

“Mum?” Eggsy stared at her.

“Eggsy look at the world around you. Full bornes are going to be a thing of the past soon enough. How many are there in our neck of the woods? A few hundred at most. Mundane going to be the dominant in another hundred years. Only those posh sorts care about staying full borne anymore.”

“Which is somehow you?”

“You know that telly show, American, the Gilmore Girls?” Michelle said. 

“Wot?”

“Rich girl, who’s stifled under the parents ideals, needs to be free?” Michelle shrugged. “Well I didn’t get knocked up. But I did run away from all the rules and bullshit and the stupid dragons with bloody weak chins that they wanted me to marry. Got a job as a waitress, was so shite at it. And met Lee.” Michelle laughed at herself. “Found me the best bone borne man there ever was because the universe likes to fuck with me. I hated being a dragon, parents killed any love for it I could have, and there was this gorgeous and sweet boy who just wanted to fly with me. So I flew.”

“And you learned how great it was,” he said, begged.

“Hated every second. Started to resent him a bit, for wanting me to embrace it. Turns out you can run away from home, but still carry it with you. Told him more than a few times to stop making a scene, sounded just like me mum, I did. And when you were born, good lord was he excited. His bone borne son.”

“Weren’t you excited?”

“I was excited to have a baby, yes. But knew we’d fight fierce about raising you. I hated the smoke he blew on you and that it was the only thing that would calm your colic.” Michelle got up and put her mug in the sink. She grabbed a beer out of the fridge. "They had to make the memory part of the potion extra strong, should doused you with that after Lee died. Woulda saved me the few years of you pretending to fly around the living room. But they faded soon enough once you started drinking."

Eggsy glared at her. “You won’t poison Daisy, like you did me. I’ll take her away, or get a court order, something.”

Michelle smiled and it was a little too pleased. “Won’t have to. She’s perfectly mundane.”

“Not possible if you are full bone borne, even with Dean as her Da.”

“Fun fact, you take the right potion, visit the right people, you can kill your dragon half. Almost kills you in the process, but worth it. Kill the DNA can’t pass none on.” Michelle was clearly at peace with this. "And I wasn't passing that on again."

“You can’t just fucking kill your DNA that’s against science.”

“Not against the wrong sort of magic though.” Michelle looked at him. “Flying isn’t that great you know.”

“I should have had the choice!” Eggsy stood up and walked around the room. “Why did you take that away from me?”

“Because being a dragon killed your dad,” she said. She kept a close eye on him. “Because I wanted to keep you safe.”

“Being a dragon didn’t kill him.”

“Full bone borne if they aren’t rich, go into a few professions, most of which are dangerous.”

“You were born rich. If your parents were so concerned about you and future bloodline, woulda thought they’d love Da.”

Michelle shrugged. “Don’t know, never went back. They’re dead now, everything went to a cousin or something.” She glared at him. “I did it to keep you safe," she repeated it. She believe it to, a lie that grew to truth with years of care put into it.

Eggsy looked around the cramped counsel flat, could feel the bruises wanting to form from where Dean had hit him this morning. At the beer in her hand, that he knew wasn’t the first of the day. “And you don’t see the irony in that. You kept me locked up.”

“You’ve never been locked up a day in your life.”

“You locked me up, Mum. Since the first shake, you’ll had me in chains.” Eggsy looked at her. “How could you?”

“Because I loved you.”

“Bullshit.”

“Oh no, you don’t say that.” Michelle put the bottle down and pointed at him. “I have loved you every damn day of your life.”

“Sure, but not enough to not poison me for over a decade.”

“Being full bone borne brings you nothing but misery and suffering,” Michelle shouted. “You should be thanking me from saving you from that.”

Eggsy went over and rolled up her sleeve and could see the mark of Dean’s fingers. “You aren’t dragon anymore, right? Seems plenty of suffering in your life.”

Michelle slapped him. “You don’t get to judge my choices.”

Eggsy stepped away. “No I don’t, not the ones you made for you. But I sure as fuck get to judge the ones you made for me. Fuck you for poisoning me, Mum.”

“You really should drink the shakes,” Michelle said.

“Why? So I can be a coward like you?”

“No, because if you don’t your body is going to go haywire and put about 5 years of puberty into 6 months. You’ll be in agony that you can’t even understand. You might not even survive to be honest. It was pretty intense stuff I had you on.”

“Why didn’t you just kill my dragon then?”

“Tried,” Michelle said. “But you can only do that if you want to, if you yearn to. You never wanted your dragon dead. So I changed your memories and sort of pressed pause. Only now your body is going to hit fast forward. Drink the shakes.”

“You don’t get to decide my fate anymore, Mum.” Eggsy said. 

“No one decides their own fate, not really.”

“You did, you chose a shitty life. I want more.”

“Good luck with that,” she said.

“I’m packing a bag. And I’m gone. But I want to see Daisy.”

“No.”

“I want to see my sister!” Eggsy roared and some smoke came out his nose.

“Not while you are dangerous. You live through getting sorted, we can see.”

“You going to be a better Mum to her than you were me?” Eggsy asked.

“You’ll see, one night when you are screaming in pain and no one helps you, you’ll see I was a good Mum.” Michelle looked at him. “It isn’t worth it. Being mundane is at least honest.”

Eggsy laughed. “You don’t ever get to talk about honesty to me ever again.”

Michelle stayed in the kitchen while Eggsy went to his bedroom. He threw random things in his bags and was done in 15 minutes. He stopped in Daisy’s room. “I’ll see you again, luv,” he whispered and grabbed a pair of her tiny little shoes and threw them in his pockets. He went out and looked at his mother. “I can never forgive you Michelle,” he said.

“Not asking for it, I did right by you. You’ll see.”

Eggsy walked out without another word. He knew he should go right back to the Kingsman, he really wasn’t feeling good. But he couldn’t. He needed comfort. Eggsy took the underground and walked a bunch and was eventually at his storage locker.

He went in and looked at all the shoes and began to laugh. It was a loud, hysterical thing that turned into sobs soon enough. “Guess I can call it a hoard after all,” he said to himself as he tried to pull air into his lungs. He collapsed to the ground and kept sobbing as more and more memories found their places again in his mind.

Eggsy cried himself to sleep on the floor of the locker.


	7. Chapter 7

“I hate all of you,” Percival said calmly, clearly, and with great conviction.

“Is that a foot?” Roxy asked as something floated by.

The four were in the sewers of London hunting down a rumour. Merlin had them all in wet suits because they were not letting whatever was down there touching their skin. Harry still somehow managed to look debonair, in a wet suit, double holsters over top.

“Nae,” Merlin said. And then a leg floated by. “Very well it probably was. Looks like we are headed in the right direction. I had hoped the rumours of the monster in the sewers were just some kids high on something.”

The smell slowly changed from from the expected vile into something else. More slime was on the walls. Percival scraped a sample into a jar.

“See, aren’t you glad you came along? Look at all the new ooze for you to study!” Harry said cheerfully. He stumbled as he walked and almost fell into the muck, but Percival caught him in time. They looked at each other. “I for one am happy you came along right now.”

Percival gave him a faint smile and put the sample in his bag. They walked following the slime and noxious scent and found themselves at an intersection that had far more water in it than it should. 

And there was the creature.

“Oh,” Roxy said softly. She moved forward through the men, to the woman. “Oh I am so sorry,” she crooned softly. “Did a shift go wrong? Did you take something?” The woman stared at Roxy and began to cry a little. “I am so sorry you are hurting. We can help you, let us take you back with us, yeah?” Roxy reached out to the woman and the tentacle where her arm should be, slapped out and sent Roxy flying several meters down the sewer.

Percival cast quickly and the creature seemed to be freeze for a moment and he ran to help Roxy.

Harry pulled out his guns. “This is your chance. We can help you. We can get you back to normal.”

“I was normal! This was supposed to free me!” she screamed and ran at Harry, the spell shattering easily, and Harry started to fire. He unloaded a clip, but she still kept going, even as a few tentacles were shredded by the bullets. She slammed Harry into the wall, her one human arm against his throat. “This was supposed to free me.” Harry’s fangs dropped and he kicked sending her back. Merlin dual knives sliced through several tentacles and she screamed in agony. Percival threw one of his magic bombs at her but she dodged and it only caught a few tentacles. They were wearing her down, but it was taking a while.

Merlin was moving forward, knives ready, when his glasses beeped a distress signal. “Eggsy’s temperature is rising too quickly. We need to get to him. Fast. His location isn’t actually far from here.” He tossed his blades to Roxy who caught them easily from long practice sparring together.

“No,” Percival said. “There is not space don’t you dare - shit, Harry move!” Harry ran, shooting her a few more times and then sliding through the water and filth on his knees to the other two and Percival cast a small protective bubble around the three of them as Merlin transformed in a space far too small to contain him. Walls broke and crumbled around them. Merlin roared at the creature, who screamed at him.

Merlin blasted her with a ball of fire and then bat his wings and shot upwards breaking through at least five meters of concrete and earth and was gone.

Percival dropped the shield and went over to the dead creature. Harry looked at the destroyed sewer. He undid his wet suit, revealing that he was in a full suit underneath and pulled out his phone. “I’ll call the magic repair team. They will not be amused.”

Roxy knelt beside Percival and they looked at each other. They flipped a rune Percival had in his pocket and he sighed. “Of course I got internal organs.” He pulled more jars out of his bag of holding and then grabbed his vivisecting knife, which of course had been a gift from Merlin, and started breaking open her chest.

Roxy used the blades Merlin had tossed her to collect some tentacles. “You know, I don’t care what she was saying, I don’t think these were consentacles.” The two men stared at her. “Too soon?”

“Whom have we been dating that consentacles has come up?” Percival asked as he yanked out the creature’s heart. He could hear Harry behind him. “And no you are not getting any blood that is likely poisoned.” He reached into the bag and threw Harry a flask that had some blood in it.

“You don’t know them,” Roxy muttered. She put the tentacles in a jar. Most were burned rather thoroughly, but a few were viable for analysis.

They packed up their work and climbed up through the giant hole Merlin had made. A crowd had gathered. Percival dropped a flask and the smoke went around to each individual there.  Harry’s hypnotic voice pulled into each ear, whispering that a gas main blew, that there was nothing to see. The clean up crew arrived and the three of them disappeared. 

There was no word yet from Merlin.

************************************

Merlin flew quickly to where the tracker said Eggsy was. He dove down and turned into human form and ignore the people talking around him. This area of town was little better than the sewers he had just been crawling through. He walked through the front door of the building and there was a big man blocking the way. 

“Eggsy Unwin,” he said. “I need to find him. I know he’s here.” Merlin could feel a fellow dragon in distress, even without the tracker that they had secretly placed on Eggsy when he had come to see them.

“No one here by that name.” The guy crossed his arms and glared. 

Merlin reached into a pocket and pulled out a pocket. “Chav, early 20s, caucasian, light brown hair.”

“Lots of guys can fit that description.”

Merlin hands him a little more money. “2 minutes with your books.”

The guy hands him a tiny notebook and Merlin flips through and sees the name Lee Gary. “This locker.”

“Basement.” The guy moved to the side and Merlin tore down the hall and then the stairs. It should be a cold and dank space, but it was steaming. He knocked on each door, shouting Eggsy, and heard one open a couple down. Merlin went and saw Eggsy on the ground, sweating and radiating so much heat that some of the shoes he had surrounded himself with were melting. “Eggsy,” Merlin said and crouched down.

“Wot the fuck are you wearing? And why does it smell like shit?”

“Because I was in the sewers when your temperature spiked,” Merlin said. He stripped out of the wet suit and showed the trousers and sweater underneath. “I flew here.”

“Why are your clothes fine?” Eggsy’s breath was laboured and coming out as smoke.

“Magic, Percival and Roxy.” Merlin touched him and if he hadn’t been bone borne his hand would have blistered. “We need to get you out of London, and fast.”

“Mum said I would hurt, that I would scream in pain and be alone.”

“No, lad, ye don’t have to be alone. We are here.”

“Why?”

“That is an explanation for another day.” Merlin helped him stand. “Come, quickly.”

“My shoes,” Eggsy said. He sounded scared like he might not see them again. Merlin looked at the small hoard. He grabbed the wet suit off the ground and knotted the legs and arms. 

“Stuff a few in there,” he said. “We can’t take them all. A few pairs ye can’t live without.”

Eggsy put in the oxfords, the winged trainers, a few others, and Daisy’s shoes. Merlin put the suit on his back like a ruck sack and started to guide Eggsy out. Eggsy stumbled. Merlin picked him up and carried him. “Don’t see a car bruv,” Eggsy said, each word out with a puff of smoke.

“Car doesn’t move fast enough.” Merlin looked at him. “Do ye trust me?”

“Fuck no,” Eggsy said.

“Fair enough.” Merlin gave him the suit. Merlin stepped a few paces away into the middle of the road and ignored the way cars honked, and turned dragon.

Eggsy stared at him, in the middle of the street, huge, majestic. “Wow.” Merlin huffed smoke that surrounded Eggsy and it felt so good. Merlin straightened and held out a claw. “No fucking way,” Eggsy said. But he found himself stepping closer. “Oh shit shit shit shit shit shit,” Eggsy chanted as the claw wrapped around him and Merlin shot straight into the sky.

The wind felt so good though. It stung sure, but it cooled him off and he felt completely safe, even though he was in the goddamn air in a dragon’s claw. 

Fuck, even this small taste of flying made him want more. He tried to will his body to shift, but it didn’t do anything. They flew into the country and eventually landed behind a huge house. Like crazy huge. Merlin put him down carefully and transformed back.

“Can we do that again?” Eggsy blurted out, like a child asking to ride a roller coaster for the fourth time. His skin was steaming.

“Aye, but for now we need to stabilize your temperature.” Merlin hurried him into the estate. “Percival!” he roared.

Percival came running down the hall. “We just got back as well.” He touched Eggsy and winced. “That hurt.” His hand was red.

“Ye can see the heat on him,” Merlin said. “Help him.”

Percival glared at Merlin. “Go away.”

“I won’t leave him,” Merlin said protective, of a fellow bone borne hurting.

Percival nodded to an odd spot of shadows and Harry jumped out and tackled Merlin. Percival looked at Eggsy as the scrapped on the floor. “Quickly, I have a space prepared for you.” Percival ran down the hall and Eggsy followed. He lead him down and down, well below the main building and swung open a metal door. It was a large room, had to be an equivalent to a third of the floor space of above, metal beams reinforcing the building.

Eggsy looked around the empty space. It was a lair.

Percival gave him a flask. “Drink this.”

“You keep handing me stuff to drink. Last one worked, you know. I remember lots of stuff. Not everything but lots.”

“I am very good at my job,” Percival said. “Drink, it will help.”

Eggsy took it down and immediately felt cooler. “Thanks.” He looked around the cavernous room and realized it wasn’t so empty. In the corner there was a bed and night table, chair, even a small wardrobe. “Brought me here in case I popped off?”

“No, I brought you here because this is yours.”

“Wot?” Eggsy stared at him.

“It isn’t a good idea for you to be trapped in the city, while you are so unstable. This will be a good space while you get sorted.” Percival looked at the corner. “There is that set up until the heat issues you are having are fully resolved. Then we can move you upstairs. Or you can stay down here."

“Little creepy, down here.”

“Merlin’s lair is just across the way. And we can bring you down some more items to make it comfortable.” Percival swallowed. “This…this was your father’s space.”

Eggsy stared at him. He didn’t even know what to say.

“Rest,” Percival said into the aching silence. He left the room.

Eggsy took off his clothes they stank of sweat and brimstone. He lay on the ground which felt blessedly cool. He poured out the few pairs of shoes that he had managed to grab and hugged them close and fell asleep a little too easily. When he was conscious again, he’d recognize that he was drugged.

When he woke up there 20 pairs of shoes surrounding him, looking almost like a protective circle. He reached out and touched a pair, stroked the broguing.

Eggsy got up and found there were siren suits in the wardrobe in a variety of sizes. The brown plaid one fit. He put it on and went out the door.

That vampire was there leaning against the wall. “Hello Eggsy,” Harry said.

“Right, who are you lot then?”

“We are the Kingsman,” Harry replied and waited for some sort of dramatic response. “Nothing?”

“I fucking knew you worked at the tailor’s,” Eggsy said. “Saw you there, stole shoes, remember?”

“Lee told you nothing about us?”

“No?” Eggsy searched memories that were still a little foggy, but there was nothing.

“Well, shit,” Harry said. “Looks like we have a lot of ground to cover.” He started to walk away. “Come along Eggsy,” he called back.

Eggsy looked at the door across from his and wondered if Merlin was in there, in dragon form. He almost reached for the knob, but Harry cleared his throat and Eggsy followed after him.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry took Eggsy upstairs to his office. The boy looked a fair bit like Lee, but there was the stamp of Michelle on his features. He was a good looking lad, even if he was still a little rank from all the sweat. “Would you like a shower?”

“I want answers, then I’ll grab some soap,” Eggsy said. “Am I done? Like did Percival fix me up?”

“No,” Harry answered. “He stopped your organs from overheating and turning to goo. You are expected at his lab shortly so he can check you out. Medical would like you to visit as well, but frankly Percival and Roxy will be of more use, I think.”

“Roxy?”

Harry couldn’t quite meet Eggsy’s eyes. “You, ah, haven’t met her yet. Full moon borne like Percival.”

“And you are blood, and Merlin bone. Everyone who work here full?”

“There are some in ancillary jobs who are half, but the nature of the work does require a great deal of strength and capability.”

“To be tailors. Right.”

“To be fair the shop is a fully operational business and has been for almost a hundred years. We though have existed a bit longer than that.”

“How long?”

“Since Arthur pulled the sword from the stone.”

“Arthur is a bloody myth,” Eggsy said.

“True,” Harry agreed. “And that is an exaggeration. In truth the Kingsman have existed since the English Civil War.”

“Fucking royalists,” Eggsy sneered. “Cromwell was the boss.”

“He was, and it was he who founded our order.”

“Shit, really?”

“He liked the irony of the name,” Harry said. “At least that is what our records suggest. During the civil war, dangerous practices and artifacts were used by both sides, and caused a great deal of harm to innocent lives. Cromwell founded us to work in the shadows, to help with the problem.”

“Secret police? Yeah I want no part in that shit.” Eggsy glared at Harry. Like fuck he was being a jackboot.

“No, more...did you ever read those Harry Potter books?”

“Sure, mundane finds out they are full moon borne and goes to a bullshit fake fancy school for all the full kids, like it weren’t shit that you just took in regular school. Some kids when to chemistry and others potions. Pure fantasy.”

“Yes, and rather problematic when you think about some of it,” Harry said. “But the Ministry of Magic.”

“So you are jackboots.”

Harry shook his head. “The stuff even they were scared of, the things they locked away and hoped no one would find? That is what we deal with in an average day.”

“Explain.”

“A blood borne goes rogue and drains someone, the police catch them and they go on trial. A blood borne who tries to control the whole planet via a sim chip in everyone’s phone that bends them to his hypnotic will to kill all but the blood borne? That is left to us to deal with.”

“Shittttt, you guys are the ones wot stopped Valentine?” Eggsy’s jaw dropped. He remembered that day, he and his mum attacked each other, and it was hell. Luckily they had been so focused on each other that Daisy had been left safe.

“We did. We save the world Eggsy, from the chaos, from things that shouldn’t exist. Would you like to be a part of that?”

“Is that what my dad did?”

Harry smiled sadly. “Your father was an incredible man. Dedicated, noble, quite funny, and would have been truly an astonishing asset to our team.”

“Jesus, talk about having a crush,” Eggsy joked. He noticed though that Harry didn’t deny it.

“We were on a live mission, for him and another trainee. A fae borne had opened a door that never should have been opened. It was pulling us all in. It would have pulled the world into hell, flipped universes. I was ready to leap, and he pushed me out of the way, grabbed the fae and the handle and jumped through and sealed it shut.”

“My dad jumped into hell and you didn’t stop him?” Eggsy stood up and began to pace.

“I wish I could have,” Harry replied. “He was a better man than any I have known.”

“Fuck you,” Eggsy said and stalked out of the room. Harry didn’t follow but sent a message to everyone that a civilian with medical issues was walking around.

Eggsy didn’t know where he was going he just sort of went down corridors and poked his head into rooms, looking for a good place to hide. It was all too much to take in. His dad, a hero. He had known that, every little boy thinks that about his Da, but now there was real confirmation, the fact of it. His dad had been heroic. He guessed that meant the ashes he and his mum and interred were fake. Fuck he hoped some other family wasn’t missing a corpse out there. He stopped when he sniffed something delicious. Sweet but dark. He decided to follow his nose, hoping it would lead to a kitchen. He was bloody starving.

There were large double doors and he didn’t bother to knock, just went in and realized quickly it wasn’t a kitchen.

It was a weird mix of like a CSI lab from telly shows, and a witch’s kitchen. There were microscopes and cauldrons. And the girl he shagged at the club.

“You!”

“Hi, Eggsy, I’m Roxy. Well, Lancelot, but Roxy works. I’d shake hands but this is at a delicate stage.” Roxy stirred her cauldron some more and Eggsy realized that was where the scent was coming from.

“You shagged me,” Eggsy said.

“I did, you were good too, if that helps any,” she kept stirring and checking the temperature.

Eggsy looked over at Percival. “That’s how you got my jizz? Fished it out of the condom? That’s fucking gross.”

Percival sighed. “I am well aware. And do consider how much worse it is with the knowledge that Roxy is my niece.”

“Ewwwww. You sent your niece to shag me for my bodily fluids?”

“Point of fact, Harry and Merlin did it. I suggested that we just approach you and talk to you like civilized people.” Percival looked at his watch. “That should be ready.”

Roxy nodded. “Yup, quick grab the tray.”

Eggsy watched as Percival took out a tray and Roxy began to ladle goop onto it. It smelled fantastic. “A poison then?”

“With its sugar content it could be considered such, but no, it is a salted caramel scotch fudge,” Percival explained.

“You made fudge in your cauldron?”

“I scrubbed all the tentacle out,” Roxy snapped. “And I know how to keep it at a decent temperature. Normal pots and pans and stoves hate me.”

“It’s true,” Percival agreed. They made three trays of the fudge. “An excellent bribe. Merlin might actually give you that time off.”

“Are you mental?” Eggsy asked.

“Less than the others, I have done a solid analysis,” Percival said. “Of the four of us who work as a team, I am the least crazy. Now I need you to spit in this chalice.” He smiled and held up the cup.

Eggsy shrugged and spit. “Need some wee too?”

“Actually yes, that would be helpful thank you.” Percival went to the counter and grabbed a medical container and also a needle. “Blood sample as well while we are doing all of this.”

“You also a doctor?”

“Nurse, actually. Military one, before I was recruited.” Percival wiggled the container. “You can wee the corner. It won’t bother us.”

“Thanks?” Eggsy went over to the corner and managed to get some wee in the cup. He took it back over and Percival set it aside. He then took a careful blood sample. “So what is this going to do?” Eggsy asked.

“I need to monitor you. You are going to go through a great deal of change in a very short time frame. And I would rather you live through it well.” Percival handed him a flask. “Drink.”

“What’s in this one?”

“Protein shake,” Percival said, not thinking, wanting to get a baseline off the samples before and after.

Eggsy froze and backed away.

Roxy hit her uncle. “Not like the ones you drank. Were forced to drink. This one is a protein shake with extra vitamins, and a little bit of the stuff that stopped you from burning up last night.” Roxy took a sip. “See?”

“You ain’t bone borne.”

Percival tapped the side of his glasses. “Merlin, I cocked up with Eggsy. Merlin?” He shook his head when there was no answer. “I swear, Eggsy, all I intend to do with that potion is strengthen you and ease your suffering through this process. Nothing more.”

“Yeah, right, like I am going to trust you.” Eggsy crossed his arms and glared at them. “A girl who fucks me to get my jizz to be studied and a guy who keeps just handing me stuff.”

“Everything else has been fine.”

“Maybe I’m tired of being pushed around,” Eggsy snapped.

Percival was going to try for a counter argument when the door was kicked open and in came Merlin with knives at the ready. “What the fuck did ye do?” he roared and the smoke from his nose almost filled the room.

“Nothing!” Percival said. “Ugh, I am tired of everyone’s dramatics. I am a professional and would not endanger one under our protection. I am physically incapable of it. Do no fucking harm to those in my care is in my DNA and if I tried, my fucking blood would boil me to death. So kindly everyone fuck out of my space and let me work.”

Merlin ducked his head. Percival was truly the best of them, and it had been wrong to rush in. He was about to offer a formal apology when he properly scented the air. “Is that the fudge I like?”

“You don’t get any now,” Percival said. He put some of Eggsy’s blood on glass to put under a microscope and the rest in his cauldron.

“Wait that’s my bribe for him,” Roxy said. “I want next Friday off.”

“How is that my concern?” Merlin asked. He put away the knives and inched to the food.

“Because you are the closest we have to a boss, since Harry killed Arthur.”

“We really should fill that position,” Percival said. “Oh,” he whispered when he looked at the slide. “Oh.” He went took the protein shake from Roxy and threw it down the sink. “Sorry, Eggsy, I’ll mix you something different.”

“Wot the fuck is so bad in my blood, that you did that?” Eggys moved closer.

“It...it doesn’t matter, we are going to fix it,” Percival explained. He went to a cabinet and tapped his finger along a shelf. “This is a restorative nothing more.”

“I have taken that,” Merlin offered to Eggsy. “It is fine.”

Eggsy nodded and took it and swallowed it down. He looked at the three of them. “So...yeah...I’m just gonna go for a walk, because I am all full up on crazy at the moment.” He left the room and continued his exploration of the estate because he knew Percival wouldn't answer about whatever he found in Eggsy's blood.

He somehow found himself in a hall filled with painted portraits. Some as small as his hand, others taller than him. Eggsy read a few plaques and realized they were all Kingsman who had died. From the start to the end. As he went down the hall the clothing grew more recognizable and he laughed when a portrait of an old bloke with the date listed dead a year ago had been defaced rather thoroughly.

He let his eyes drift back to the one he had skipped over.

Eggsy moved closer to one that was about one square metre in size. His da. He looked good in the portrait, standing there in a suit like what Harry wore, the back was the shadow of the dragon that he remembered.

He traced a finger over his dad’s face.

“He was a good man,” Merlin said softly.

“He’d be so disappointed in me.” Eggsy knew he shouldn’t but he closed his eyes and let his head rest against the portrait. “I ain’t been good in a very long time.”

“But you have a choice now,” Merlin said. He stepped closer but didn’t touch Eggsy. “You can decide, lad. Do you want to be good? Who do you want to become?”

Eggsy stayed leaning there and didn’t say anything. Merlin eventually left him alone to think.

“Da, help me,” Eggsy said. He thought for a moment that he felt a kiss against his head. He remembered that Mrs. Norris said Lee watched out for him. Eggsy straightened up and went through the estate and knocked on Harry’s door. Harry called him in and Eggsy looked at him.

“Teach me,” Eggsy told Harry.

“Teach you what?”

“Everything, anything. I want whatever this is.”

Harry looked at him. “I’d be happy to.” Harry smiled slowly and his fangs dropped a little.

"Oh miss with that intimidation crap."

"That was excitement," Harry admitted.

"Ew."

"Not that sort of excitement," Harry said stiffly. "I am just happy to have a protege."

"Go you then, I need a goddamn shower. Where's it at?" Harry gave him directions and Eggsy went to get clean. When he got out there was a clean siren suit, and a pretty wicked pair of trainers. He looked in the mirror. "Going to be good. For you da." He nodded and went back to Harry.


	9. Chapter 9

“You know, this seems unnecessary,” Eggsy said. “We know I’m bone borne, why are we testing me for all this stuff?” He was sitting on the counter in Percival and Roxy’s office even though Percival had offered him a chair. He was all hunched over protecting his veins from yet another needle. “You’ve drawn tons of blood, study it.”

“Do you see a needle in my hand?” Percival replied calmly. “I have studied your blood and so has the medical team. You want it technical or straight forward?”

“What do you think?”

“Your white blood cells have been -” Percival grinned when Eggsy flipped him off. “You really need to develop a better sense of humour, if you want to last here.

“Who said I wanted to last here?” Eggsy countered.

“You do,” Percival said. “Now put this on your head.” He handed Eggsy some sort of helmet with wires and lights.

“Is that a kitchen strainer?” Eggsy asked.

“No,” Percival said quickly. “Just put it on.”

Eggsy shrugged, at least it wasn’t more blood being drawn. He put it on and then somehow it molded itself to his skull. “Is this going to poke holes in my head because it is sort of pulsing now.”

“Excellent,” Percival said.

“You fucking mad scientist! You are going to poke holes in me?”

Percival did his best maniacal laugh and then stopped when he saw Eggsy was scared. “Eggsy, didn’t you hear me before? Do no harm. I meant it. We need to add brain scans into our study of what was done to you.” He held up his tablet that showed the scanning of Eggsy’s brain. “More efficient than a CAT scan, and you have to stay very still for those. You can do a damn cartwheel in that thing.”

“Oh yeah?” Eggsy hopped off the counter and did one. The helmet didn’t move. “Huh.”

Percival gestured him over. “See that burst of yellow? You were happy when you did that.” 

Eggsy grabbed a chair and sat beside him. “Damn.”

“Indeed.” Percival twisted the picture on the screen. “See here? This spot that is darker than the rest?”

Eggsy looked at it. At his brain. “Yeah? It isn’t all lit up like the rest. It...looks like it wants to be but can’t.” He kept staring at it. “That’s my dragon huh?”

“Yes,” Percival agreed. “Think of flying. Pour all your thoughts into the idea of being in the air. Wings, scales, breathing fire. Of being in the air with Merlin. Think of it with every fibre of your being.” They both watched as that corner of Eggsy’s brain lightened up, tried to glow. Little fractures appeared in the shadows before retreating. Eggsy felt his shoulders slump but Percival was hugging him. “I know it doesn’t seem like much, but those little cracks? That means we can fix this.”

“Really?”

“It isn’t dissimilar to how the brain of a child entering puberty looks. A little greyer, but not dissimilar.”

“Hey, Percy?”

“Yes?”

“If I had stayed on those drinks, on whatever what was in them. Would I have been fucked?” Eggsy looked at his hands.

Percival gently shut down the program and took the helmet off. “Eggsy, nothing can kill your dragon.”

“Mum killed hers.” 

“She did, but nothing can kill yours.”

“What’s the difference?”

“You.” Percival cupped his cheek. “You want your dragon, you are clawing your way through the pain and poison and doing everything you can to free him. Nothing can kill that core of you. That desire, you reached for it even when you didn’t know it was there.” Percival sighed. “What she had you on...it was changing you and twenty more years of it? It couldn’t have killed your dragon, but neither would you have been able to transform. From what I can tell at least.”

Eggsy nodded. “I like you. You need to get better at explaining all the Frankenstein shit but I like you.”

“I like you too, Eggsy. And I regularly take care of Merlin and Harry who wouldn’t listen to my explanations so I sort of gave up on them. But I will do better. Now who are you expected with next?”

“Oh god, Harry with more history of Kingsman crap.” Eggsy rolled his eyes. “I really don’t care.”

Percival smiled. “Indulge him and trust me there is useful things in there.”

“Like what?”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“I thought learning to save the world would be a lot less like uni. There was a reason I never went.” Eggsy laughed a little. “What concoction you want me to drink today?”

“We’ve kept the fever down, have you settling into a good temperature. Next up the acne.”

“I don’t have acne.”

“The dry skin, it is sort of dragon acne?” Percival said. He rolled his stool over to his cabinet and grabbed a bottle of lotion. “This should help with that better than the stuff from the pharmacy. But it has some interesting compounds. Do not use it for wanking - on those scaly spots only.” 

Eggsy turned red but took the lotion. “How long you figure before I can transform?”

“My best guess is…” Percival paused and stroked his chin. “I’ve got no fucking clue, to be honest. Last blood test showed the stuff is still in your blood. As long as it is I doubt there will be full transformation. We’ll keep with the weekly testing, okay? It has only been three weeks.”

Eggsy nodded. Roxy came into the lab and sort of froze. She and Eggsy had been avoiding each other, he was still incredibly uncomfortable with what had happened. “No samples needed today, Roxy,” he said and gave a fake smile. 

Roxy was tired of it. “Alright, I’m sorry I fucked you to steal some of your bodily fluids.” She thought about it. “No. You know what? That is sometimes my job and I did my job because I am a fucking Kingsman and we are the shit. You want to be one of us, you’ll have to do weird stuff, and you do it because it saves the world.”

“How does riding me equal saving the world?”

“Because saving even one life equals saving the world,” she shouted “Because if I hadn’t, it might have been months before we realized you were being poisoned. You might have been suffering for longer if we had gone a more normal route.”

“What’s wrong with normal? Percival wanted to just chat. It could have worked.”

“Right, like you wouldn’t have been suspicious about us meeting at a cafe by chance and chatting it up and then me eventually saying oh by the way a super secret save the world organization that your da died working for would like to ask you some questions, mind popping through a magic mirror with me would have gone great?”

“I woulda run in the other direction,” Eggsy admitted. “It doesn’t mean what you did was right.”

“Necessary and right don’t always go together.”

“They should at least try,” Eggsy snapped.

Roxy opened her mouth but Percival made a noise in the corner. They both looked at him. “Roxy, he’s correct.”

Roxy frowned. “How? Why?”

“Because the ends justify the means is a crap excuse if other means were available. Harry is always right in the field. The man has tactics no one can compare to, but out of it, he is impetuous and capricious and we all let him get away with too much and it affects all of our thinking. We will do better, be better, because otherwise what is the point of us?”

“I really like you,” Eggsy grinned. 

“Remember that when I when I need to take a bone marrow sample,” Percival said. He lit a fire under a cauldron and began to pour ingredients into it.

Roxy and Eggsy stared at each other. “I’m sorry I shagged you for your jizz.”

“Thank you,” he said. “You have really great tits. But the natural hair colour looks way better on you.”

Roxy laughed a bit. “They are fantastic aren’t they?” 

Eggsy punched her shoulder a bit. “Okay, we’re square.”

“Okay,” she agreed. She held out her hand. “Hello, Eggsy.”

Eggsy shook her hand. “Hey, Roxy.”

“Eggsy, you’ll be late for Harry’s lecture,” Percival reminded him. Eggsy gave a little wave and jogged out.

Roxy lit her own cauldron and got to work. She noticed the tablet with the brain scans. She tapped one of the pictures and looked at the fired red spot. “Wow, who was he thinking of there?”

Percival added some spider webs to his cauldron. “Never you mind. Bedievere needs that skin heating thing, he is going to Iceland soon.”

“On it,” she said and got to work.

****************************************************

“Eggsy this is rather important, maybe you want to stay awake?” Harry suggested.

“Bruv, it is hour two about learning about dude from the 1800s, like I give a fuck,” Eggsy groaned. “How is this helping me regain my ability to transform?”

“It isn’t,” Harry replied.

“What the hell then?”

“I am teaching you about the organization because you indicated you wanted to join us. A knowledge of our history is a good thing.”

“But I don’t learn well like this,” Eggsy said.

Harry looked at him. “Come along, Eggsy.” Eggsy followed happily wanting to stretch his legs. They went to the library and Harry pulled a small figurine off the shelf. “Take a look at this.”

“Looks like that Royal Doulton shit grannies love.” Eggsy turned it around in his hands and then dropped it when the face blinked and turned green and showed multiple rows of teeth. Luckily, Harry caught it before it fell to the ground. “What the fuck? Is that some sort of fae trick?”

“It is. Though it isn’t a trick. An enchantment, a trap. In 1836, a full shift borne, took far too much laudanum and couldn’t stop shifting. It drove them mad and they went on a rampage. The law enforcement of the time couldn’t stop her, she killed 6 men and hid. It took the Kingsman weeks to find her and in that time she had taken potions to make her strong, her skin tough enough it couldn’t be pierced. A fae Kingsman created a trap. It was a hard fight and one of our own died, but she stepped into the fairy ring and now we have a statue.”

“That you just leave about?” Eggsy stared at him. “Fucking crazy innit?”

“Perhaps, but better where we keep an eye on her, then locked away, forgotten. I teach you our history because there are things that Kingsman can never forget, should never forget lest it bite us on our ass.”

“I get that,” Eggsy said. “Can it be more like this though? Your office is too red for my eyes.”

“I like red,” Harry said. “Blood is such a pretty colour."

“Sure.” Eggsy looked around the room and found a chunk of rock. “So what’s the story behind this?”

“Oh that is a magnificent tale,” Harry promised. “I found that paperweight for 10 quid.”

Eggsy rolled his eyes.

*****************************************

One thing he had to give them, the Kingsman had a brilliant kitchen. He was sitting at a table in the corner and tucking into the most perfect fish and chips ever. He felt something in the air and looked up and saw Merlin.  He hadn’t seen him in two weeks, the man busy with something or other.   “Hey, Merlin!” Eggsy called out. “Come sit with me yeah?” 

Merlin nodded and brought his plate over. “How are you doing, Eggsy?”

“Well enough. Not exactly what I thought it would be like, but not bad?” Eggsy shrugged. “Sort of thought I’d be learning to fight more.”

“That will come soon enough, when Percival isn’t worried about it affecting your health.” Merlin stared at his plate. “I hear you like him. He’s a good man.”

“He is,” Eggsy agreed. “He got a person?”

“No,” Merlin said. “As far as I know, he’s single.”

“Bummer. He should have someone, if he is someone who wants someone.” Eggsy looked around the dining hall. “Hmmm, I’ll have to see if I can set him up. Not to brag, but I’m actually a great wingman.”

“But ye like him.”

“Yeah, he’s aces.” Eggsy grinned, “doesn’t mean he’s my type. Just seems like the sort of guy you want to be happy.”

“I can understand that impulse.” Merlin ate some steak. “You are still underground, I've noticed. Thought you were able to move above?”

“I like it down there,” Eggsy admitted. “Brought some more furniture and rugs and stuff down, but...it feels like home.” He cut some more fish. “I ever thank you for the shoes?”

“Ye are welcome. I went back to your locker, but the contents were missing. I am sorry about that.”

“I have the ones that matter. And suppose I’ll have to build a more normal hoard.”

“Why?”

Eggsy looked at him. “Because shoes is crazy.”

“Not so,” Merlin reassured. 

“What’s yours then?”

Merlin wouldn’t answer, and Eggsy supposed that was fair enough, hoards were private things. The finished their meal in silence and Eggsy snuck glances at Merlin. Willed the man to talk to him, but he was the only person who didn’t try to chatter Eggsy’s ear off in the whole place.  Eggsy finished his meal and stood, about to clean up his plate.

“I’m almost done and need to talk to the cook, I’ll see to your dishes.”

“You sure?” Eggsy asked. Merlin waved it off. “Thanks, Merlin.” He decided to grab a couple more books from the library and head down to his lair.

Merlin waited until Eggsy was well gone. He used his napkin to carefully clean the dinner knife Eggsy had used and slid it up his sleeve before taking the dishes to the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

Eggsy was bored. Very bored. Wasn’t that he wasn’t busy. Oh no, he had Kingsman history with Tristan, and constant appointments with medical and he had started to work out with Bors a bit. He had telly, a gym, a library, all that outdoors around them. Plenty to occupy him.

And it was boring.

He missed London.

And he missed his team.

The four had been gone almost a week now, off to China to look into some crazy story. He had asked why they all had to go, if it was just a rumour and couldn’t get an answer. Especially Percival. I mean why was that lab witch needed out in the field? Roxy could bring him home samples.

So Eggsy was missing his friends. He was missing Percival’s taking care of him, and Roxy taking the piss, and Harry’s lessons, and eating dinner with Merlin. Everyone else was real nice but they weren’t the same.

He was debating stealing a car and driving into the city, Percival had him very stable right now. They had agreed to a weird cocktail of drugs and potions that was easing the transition, but it was also slowing down the transition. Better for his body, not so good for his mind. He just wanted it done, to be who he was denied.

Eggsy wanted to know what colour his scales would be.

But there was a chance that he would go boom full dragon in an unexpected blink, and the fevers did strike fast sometimes still. He also maybe breathed out a smoke so hot Percival had to strip his suit jacket off. Eggsy had thought maybe it was Percival’s skin. The man hadn’t found that especially funny.

He was in the dining hall eating when Kay came running in. “They found a mutated blood borne nest!” And then he ran out. The half dozen agents and staff who had been in the room dropped their utensils and went running. Eggsy looked around and shrugged and followed all the noise.

He ended up in a room that was sterile, huge screens mounted on the wall, and three women working on computers.

“The three witches,” Tristan whispered to Eggsy.

“Not witches,” one of them snapped. “And if you can’t stay silent, you can’t watch.”

“They are triplets, full fae born,” Tristan’s whisper was even quieter. “They monitor all our missions. Help us out.”

Eggsy looked at the screens, it was dark, almost black. He could hear the four talking to each other and then Percival cast a ball of light and Eggsy realized that they were all watching through cameras in the glasses. One screen for each agent. Harry, Percival, and Roxy in their Kingsman suits, Merlin in his jumper and trousers.

“All of you deal with this shit all the time, why is this exciting?” Eggsy couldn’t understand why the people around him were watching like it was the latest MCU movie.

“Because as good as we are, those four together?” Tristan shook his head. “Whole different ball game.”

“They used to take solo jobs but more worked together in twos or threes and then when they defeated Valentine they agreed, one of them goes on a real mission, they all go. I mean sure Harry is Harry so he’ll try to deal with some shit himself, which means Merlin goes along, but anything serious, the four horsemen go.”

“We aren’t supposed to call them that, they hate it,” one of the women at the computer said. She flicked her microphone on. “There is something on the wall there,” she said. “Percival to your right.”

Percival’s gaze went over and then he got so close to it, his nose was practically in it. “The same slime from that shifter gone wrong.” Eggsy smiled when he took a sample. He had guess right about Percival’s role.

“Picking up vibrations,” the third fae said. “Lancelot, switch to infrared.”

Roxy tapped the side of her glasses, once Percival killed his ball of light. “Oh fuck, there are a dozen of them.”

Eggsy stared at the screen in horror. “What’s wrong with them?” It was a full nest, which wouldn’t be that crazy in a house, blood born like to hang out together but they were crawling, fuck a couple were even on the walls, like gravity wasn’t a thing. They were wrong, joints at weird angles, he couldn’t see any hair, or clothes, but he saw jaws almost unhinged, unable to hold all the teeth. “Get them out of there,” Eggsy shouted.

“Hello, Eggsy,” Harry said. Merlin’s head turned to Harry and he had also tapped his infrared on. Harry’s eyes were glowing and his fangs were down. Eggsy watched him smoothly pull out his guns. “I do believe I have heard you make cracks about us probably being the Scooby Doo gang of the operation. Do let me know what you think.”

“You don’t need to prove shit to me,” Eggsy screamed. He watched one of the mutations drop from the fucking ceiling and Harry was gone out of the way and Merlin lunged, and cut the creatures head off with a fucking axe.

“Harry, sun ball,” Percival shouted. Roxy and Merlin quickly switched their glasses to normal view and Harry put the guns away to hold onto his goddamn umbrella and Percival chanted and it was a different light that he threw into the room, less torch and more like he had an actual sun in his pocket.

“Shit, that is baller magic,” Eggsy said.

“They are just getting warmed up,” one of the computer fae said. “You have leave to destroy all the creatures,” she said into her mic.

Eggsy stared in complete shock at the four screens. Around him the others were betting on who would end with the most kills. He watched through Percival’s eyes as Roxy just ran and leaped off Merlin’s back and punch one of the creatures with a glowing fist that caved its head in. She landed and they all heard her curse. “That should have fucking killed it. And why isn’t the light burning them more?”

“The one with the head removed is staying down,” Harry shouted as he fought off three using his umbrella in some sort of insane kung fu. “Traditional approach.”

“What does that mean?” Eggsy asked.

“Blood born die like anyone else,” Tristan explained. “But once upon a time, the stories go that they didn’t. Stake to the heart, beheading. That is what they have to do now. Harry and Roxy will set them up, Merlin and Percival will take them down.”

“Percival?” Eggsy asked. He looked at the screens but no one was looking at the man. “How is he - holy mother fucking hell,” Eggsy said as Harry used his umbrella to push a creature to Percival who had a sword handle. He then swung with it and then a magic blade shimmered and decapitated the creature. “He’s a fucking lab witch!”

“Lab witch?” Percival shouted. “Lab witch??? I’ll show you lab witch, you cheeky -” Percival cut another head off while Merlin did the same. Harry and Roxy moved the creatures around, pinning them, crushing limbs. Eggsy realizes that are moving in almost a circle, someone always at another’s back. It wasn’t seamless, but as close as you could get in the middle of such a battle.

“Signatures,” one of the fae said. “More coming in.”

Merlin chopped another head off. “How many?”

“Another dozen easy.”

“Fuck this,” Merlin and Harry said at the same time.

“No,” Percival replied. He saw the new ones coming through a door and sent a blast of magic that pushed them all back hard, buying them a few seconds to kill the last of the first wave. “It hasn’t been tested enough.”

“Nothing is ever tested enough for your liking,” Merlin pointed out. “You’ve nae killed us yet.”

“Exactly, why spoil my record?”

“Percival,” Harry said. “Do it.”

Eggsy watched through Percival’s eyes and he dug through his bag and pulled out a potion bottle. Later he’d ask the guy how deep that rucksack actually was. The potion seemed to be boiling on its own in the bottle. “You are not fucking drinking that,” Eggsy said.

Merlin grinned, “Bottom’s up,” he swallowed every drop and then the three lined up behind him, weapons at the ready.

“They are insane,” Eggsy said. He could only see the back of Merlin and then the creatures coming through the wall.

“Hmm, also why they work as a team, most of us are scared to work with them,” Tristan commented. “Oh. Oh my.”

The whole room went silent.

Eggsy watched the back of Merlin as he shimmered, as it looked like his dragon form was laid on top of him like a hologram. It looked so massive wrapped around Merlin like that. It never solidified, you could always see Merlin standing there, shaking a bit.

Percival moved closer, casting some sort of spell. The four stood there as the creatures began to run at them. They didn’t flinch.

“Now,” Harry said when they were maybe 2 metres away.

Merlin’s shoulders rose and then dropped as he leaned forward and breathed goddamn fire while still in human form. He moved his head as he would if he were in full form and the shimmering image moved its head as well. It wasn’t even two minutes and all the creatures were dead.

“No other signs, collect any samples and come home,” one of the fae said.

“Not it on internal organs,” Percival said swiftly. “I’ll collect a head or two.”

“Ugh, fine,” Roxy agreed and they got to work.

Merlin’s breath was laboured and the dragon slowly faded away. He began to collapse and Harry caught him and picked him up. “To hell with the samples, get us home.”

Percival threw a head into a bag. “Incoming, via the charm, get medical ready.”

“Understood.”

The four stood in a close circle, Harry holding Merlin close, Roxy trying to guard them both. Percival dropped a coin on the ground and it spun and spun and then they were gone.

“Where are they?” Eggsy asked.

“Home, shortly,” Tristan said. “Medical will meet them. It is best we stay out of the way.”

“Fuck that,” Eggsy said and hurried out of the room. It was easy to figure out where the team was going to arrive, just follow the running group from medical. They went into a room painted with runes with a circle in the middle. A minute later the team appeared and all fell to the ground.

Roxy threw up, “Fuck I never get used to that.”

Harry put Merlin down on the stretcher and Percival pushed him back. He dropped a small vial of liquid into Merlin’s mouth, even as the doctor put a blood pressure cough on. Eggsy stayed out of the way but wouldn’t take his eyes off Merlin. Percival and the medical team took him away.

Harry stopped him from following. “Let them, work, Eggsy.”

“I’ll take this to our room, start to work on it,” Roxy offered holding up the bag of samples. She grabbed her uncle’s bag of holding and then went off.

“You guys are scary,” Eggsy said to Harry as he stared at the empty hall.

“They were scarier, we just did what we had to,” Harry replied. He began to walk and Eggsy followed. “I admit that was something I haven’t seen before.” 

“It were like out of a horror movie, blood born gone feral shit,” Eggsy said. He went with Harry into the change room.

“Indeed,” Harry went to his locker and stripped off his suit, putting it in a biohazard bag and dropping it in a shute. He finished stripping down and went to the showers. He scrubbed down, washing some grime and blood off him, careful not to taste any of it. “This is the second time we have come across a mutation. These ones were not capable of speech. It is concerning. How has your time been?”

“Boring,” Eggsy said from a close by bench. “Been learning, been tested, missed you guys.”

“We missed you as well,” Harry commented. He turned off the water and dried off, and then dressed in simple pajamas and a robe. “I need some food. Keep me company?”

“Sure,” Eggsy agreed and they went to the kitchen, where Harry was given a wine bottle of blood and Eggsy grabbed a sandwich. They sat and Harry talked about how they tracked rumours and marks to the nest and Eggsy listened in awe. “You guys were brilliant,” Eggsy said. “Never seen nothing like it.”

“Once you transform, we’ll start your proper training,” Harry said. “Teach you to fight like us.”

“Awesome,” Eggsy said. He looked at Harry. “Will I work with the four of you?”

“Depends,” Harry said. “I need to check in with Roxy. Want to come along?”

“Nah, want to go see Merlin.” As soon as Eggsy said it the building shook with the sound of a roar.

“Well, I think he might be outside. Percival said one of the after effects of the potion would be Merlin needing to be in dragon form for a while.” Harry picked up the bottle which was mostly empty, guzzled the last in a decidedly ungentlemanly manner and nodded to Eggsy.

Eggsy made his way to the back of the estate and once outside looked up. Merlin was circling in the sky and roaring. He walked over to Percival who was watching him carefully and making notes that he handed over to the doctor who went inside.

“Lab witch, hmm?” Percival asked.

“Well, sorry, didn’t expect a bloke to be both BAMF with a cauldron and BAMF with a magic sword. And also still a little Frankensteiny with the collecting their heads stuff.” He watched Merlin in the sky. “That was some sick magic, bruv.”

“Thank you, I think,” Percival replied. “How have you been feeling? Taking the potions I left you?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy agreed. He stared longingly at the sky.

“We’ll check your numbers again, your brain, but I think maybe we’ll be stopping them soon, letting your system deal with what happens.”

“Really?” Eggsy grinned.

“It will hurt. A lot, Eggsy.”

“I’m used to hurt.”

“Not like this,” Percival commented. “But we’ll get you through. I need to go prepare a few things for Merlin. Keep an eye on him for me? He starts to flag, or change colour, breathe purple glitter fire, contact me immediately.”

“How?”

Percival took the glasses off his head and put them on Eggsy. “Tap the left side twice and it will direct connect to Roxy and an alert on my computer.” He gave the sky a glance and watched Merlin shoot flames. “Hmmm, blue tinge.”

“That bad?”

“More like green pee after asparagus. Like I said, watch for purple glitter flames.” He clapped a hand on Eggsy’s shoulder and went inside.

Eggsy never took his eyes off Merlin. Eventually it strained his neck enough that he decided to lie down on the grass to watch. He was such a gorgeous dragon. He shot fire into the air a few more times and each time it looked more normal. Eggsy found himself dozing almost lulled to sleep.

His eyes shot open and he rolled up into standing, ready to fight, when there was a giant thud beside him. “You fucking scared me!” he shouted at the dragon. Eggsy made a face when Merlin huffed smoke at him, in what was clearly a dragon laugh. “Haha,” Eggsy replied.

He stared at the green head that was the size of the whole of him. Eggsy approached slowly. “Can I touch?" he asked.

Merlin nodded his head a little and Eggsy slowly touched above the snot. Warm. So warm and smoother than he thought. The spot was less scaly than he expected. In fact the whole of the head was more hide than he had pictured, remembered from their other encounters. “Oh god, you are bald as a dragon too,” he realized. He fell down when Merlin pushed him. He laughed and sat up a little. “Okay, don’t comment on it, got it.”

Merlin lay down beside him, never took his eyes off Eggsy.

“So you can fight with an axe, that’s pretty cool. And then you take insane, experimental potions in the middle of freaky battles. Because that ain’t problematic at all.” Eggsy is surrounded by more smoke again. “Hey, whatever. But you know, you should be more careful. All I’m saying. You are good company at dinner.” Eggsy reached out and touched the snout again. “I want to be up there with you. When I transform, you’ll show me how to fly right?” Merlin nodded. “Is it...does it feel as good as I imagine?”

Merlin nodded and then slowly backed away. He sat up and flapped his wings and then pressed down and up and was gone into the air again.

“Soon,” Eggsy whispered. “I hope soon.” He lay back down in the grass and watched Merlin fly.

Harry watched through the glasses on Eggsy’s face. “Merlin is showing off for the lad.”

“Purple glitter flames?” Percival asked, voice a little strained as he tried to pry open the mutated blood born head.

“No, all is normal, other than the showing off.”

“Then stop spying and help me with my severed head.”

“You make the most romantic offers,” Harry joked. He went over and pried the jaw open. He stared at the row of jagged fangs. “That is...I’ve only seen that in natural history museums. That is mid-evolution.”

“It is,” Percival agreed. He grabbed pliers and ripped a few fangs out and tossed them in his cauldron. “Let’s see what we can learn.”

“You see what you can learn, I’m going to enjoy a drink,” Harry said a bit repulsed.

“But you’ll miss me scooping out the brain!” Percival said just to gross Harry out a little more.

“Next time,” Harry said politely and ran away.

Roxy snorted a little from her cauldron where she was cooking the organs they collected. “Swing and a miss, Uncle.”

Percival poured in some liquid gold. “Darling, when I do decide to swing, I won’t miss.”

Roxy gave a whistle and went back to her work. “Bingo,” she said a few hours later. 

“Same signature on the organs as the shifter from the sewers?”

“Yeah, it’s connected. But I don’t get how.”

“We’ll figure it out. Hopefully soon.”

“It won’t be soon enough,” she pointed out.

“No,” he agreed. “It won’t be. But we’ll do what we can.” He gave her back a soothing rub. “Things are going to be busy and ugly. We should stock up on protective potions.”

Roxy nodded and pulled out their recipe book and they got to work.


	11. Chapter 11

“Can I go into the city?” Eggsy asked. He was bouncing around the gym with that weird helmet on, Percival monitoring him. 

“You enjoy jumping,” Percival commented looking at Eggsy’s brain as he leapt around, feet not touching the ground. “I’d love to measure your brain once we get you flying, but I have yet to properly adapt that to read a dragon’s brain, and Merlin isn’t exactly a help.”

“And none of the other dragons around here, help?”

“Merlin’s our only dragon, until you.”

“Huh?” Eggsy stopped moving and sat up high on a pile of mats. “Support staff has to have a few around.”

“Our former boss, may he rest in hell, hated dragons. He made sure we didn’t hire any.”

“Then how’d Merlin end up on your team?”

“To be honest, no one knows,” Percival said. “He just showed up one day. And in theory he didn’t sit at the table, but he wasn’t support staff either. He was called Merlin and Chester loathed him and he became invaluable to us. Lee was the only other dragon, until -”

“Until me,” Eggsy finished. “Well, once I transform, you can study my brain no prob, Percy.”

“You are a true friend, Eggsy.” Percival looked at his screen. “Take a good long jump and try to fly.”

“Sure,” Eggsy agreed. He stood up and moved back and then ran and leapt, thinking of flying, of flying with Merlin. He thought for a second maybe he’d stay in the air, but he landed as he always did.

“Excellent,” Percival said. “Now then want to go into the city to get laid? I can promise that there are at least a half dozen people milling around who would shag you.” He looked up and grinned. “Roxy is not on that list.”

Eggsy laughed. “No, not for a shag. I have a little sister, Daisy. Mum said I can’t see her until I’m all done with whatever is going to happen to me. But I thought maybe if you could reassure her that I won’t pop off, maybe she’ll let me see Daisy in the park for an hour.”

Percival looked down at his tablet, saw Eggsy’s brain. “Come here, and keep thinking of your sister.” Eggsy walked over and looked at his brain. “See that colour, Eggsy? That is pure love. I will help you out.” He tapped the program off. “We can give you a potion that acts as a shield and I can cast over you as well. It should be fine.”

Eggsy hugged him. “I’m calling her right now.” He meant it literally and pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed his mum. He even put it on speaker. “Hey Michelle,” he said when she answered. Percival gave him a look but didn’t say anything.

“Eggsy,” she said. “How...how are you doing?”

“Fine, Mum.”

“In a lot of pain? I can get you the shakes again.”

Percival was glad he had turned the program off, the amount of rage he would have seen would have been incredible.

“No, got a real good medical team and the best fucking witch ever helping me out,” Eggsy said. “In fact, they have me so stable, I want to see Daisy. Just for an hour. In the park by the flat.”

“I don’t know, Eggsy,” Michelle said. “How can I trust you won’t hurt your sister?”

“Because I would never hurt Daisy, ever, you -” Eggsy didn’t say the word that floated through his mind. “That witch I mentioned, will give me a potion and come along with a shield spell so that nothing happens.”

“Are you in a lab, a containment facility?” Michelle asked. “They have guards right?”

Eggsy was about to answer but Percival stilled him. “Ma’am, I can assure you that Eggsy is well monitored by four of us.”

“Then all four of you guards come along, in case he goes feral or mental or whatever. Day after tomorrow, 10am in the park. One hour Eggsy. I won’t let you hurt her.”

“Hurting children is your job, Michelle,” Eggsy said and hung up. “What the fuck bruv, you gave her the impression that you lot have me under lock and key.”

Percival nodded. “I did. And that will have her thinking you are perhaps a valuable asset to us.”

“So?”

“So, she is less likely to tell her odious husband about this meeting, and he is less likely to try to harm you. And that means we have less bodies in the middle of the city to clean up.”

“Why would there be bodies?” Eggsy was confused.

Percival looked at him. “Because you are our friend.” 

“Okay?” Eggsy was still lost. “I mean thanks, love you too mate, but I have had plenty of friends.”

Percival smiled and it was a little scary. “Not like us you haven’t. I need to go add your scans to the file and prepare you a shield potion.” He left Eggsy in the gym.

“I still don’t get it,” Eggsy said into the empty room. “Friends are friends.” He shrugged and continued to work out.

**********************************

“Are you four even serious right now?” Eggsy looked at them. He was in a track suit that had appeared in his wardrobe along with the siren suit and a bunch of other clothes. And 10 pairs of shoes, 7 of which he had kept for his hoard. And they were there in their full Kingsman gear and sunglasses, looking like some goddamn mafia. “Why aren’t you all in black like secret police on telly shows?”

“I wouldn’t look good,” Harry commented. “The crisp white shirt offsets the suit nicely.”

“Not what I meant.” 

“We’re putting on a show,” Roxy explained. “Your old neck of the woods, people might have feelings about you. They might not be the warm, fuzzy feelings we have. We are emphasizing that acting on those feelings would be ill advised.”

“Percival?”

“Drink this,” Percival said and Eggsy knocked it back. His skin glowed for a moment and then he was normal again. “Shield potion, should last two hours. No sniper bullet will affect you.”

“Sniper? Where the fuck is Dean getting a sniper?” Eggsy sighed. “Overkill much?”

“No,” they all said.

Merlin activated the mirror and walked through. Eggsy went next and then the others. Eggsy ran through the shop and into the city and sighed in contentment at all the noise and people.

“Fuck that sounds good,” Eggsy said. He looked at his phone. “Hey we have time to stop and get a gift for her? I should bring a gift.”

Roxy held up a bright pink gift bag. “I had Andrew put this together for you.”

“Thanks, Rox,” he said. “Right to the underground I guess.”

“Dragon, remember,” Merlin said. “Against the law.”

“Oh, yeah,” Eggsy said. Two black cars pulled up in front of the shop. “Guess that is for us?”

“Indeed,” Harry said. He opened a door. “Percival, Merlin, Eggsy.” They got in the back and Harry and Roxy took the second car. Percival held Eggsy’s hand and cast a soft spell. He didn’t say any of the things he thought when Merlin glared at him and kicked his ankle. Percival moved Eggsy’s hand to his mouth and kissed the back in a courtly manner.

“Just making sure that everything was working,” he said calmly when Eggsy gave him a what the fuck look. “If all was working together you would taste like blueberries.” He kissed again. “And blueberries we have.”

“Weirdo,” Eggsy said and bumped his shoulder against Percival’s.

Merlin kicked Percival again. Percival just raised a brow. Merlin kicked a third time, but missed and hit Eggsy. 

“Merlin? Ow.”

“Sorry, leg spasm, little cramped in here, Percival takes up a lot of unnecessary space.”

“He seems plenty necessary to me,” Eggsy said.

“Yes, Merlin, I’m necessary.” Percival grinned, loving tormenting Merlin.

Merlin would have responded but they arrived and Eggsy was clearly nervous, clutching the pink bag. “Eggsy, it will be fine,” Merlin promised. He started to reach out but pulled his hand back.

Save me, from this, Percival thought and took Merlin’s hand and put it on Eggsy’s shoulder. Merlin squeezed and Eggsy relaxed just a little. They got out of the car and saw Harry and Roxy alighting as well. Harry frowned at all the sun and put up the umbrella.

“Roxy and I will do some perimeter strolling,” Harry said. “Percival and Merlin stay close. Merlin try to look a little more thuggish.” Harry smiled when Merlin didn’t change his expression an inch. “Perfect. And Percival make a show that you are containing him with magic.”

“Won’t that make Michelle nervous, make her take Daisy away sooner?” Eggsy asked.

“No, it will comfort her,” Harry explained. “Women like her, need a production. A bit of violence makes her think everything is safer.”

“Yeah, okay,” Eggsy agreed. They walked towards the small playground, Harry and Roxy making a show of their breaking away to circle and Merlin and Percival staying close. Eggsy heard a shout and saw Daisy trying to run to him, Michelle stopping her. Eggsy bolted to her and Michelle lost her grip. They flew to each other.

“Essy!” Daisy shouted and he picked her up and spun her around. He hugged her close. “Essy,” she repeated and covered his face with wet kisses.

“Oh I love you and I have missed you, my girl,” he crooned and gave a few kisses of his own. “Even got a gift for you.” He went to the grass and sat down. Percival handed him the bag he dropped. Daisy ducked into Eggsy at the sight of the two men. “Don’t worry, love, these are my friends, Percy and Merlin. Can you say hello?”

Daisy gave them a small wave and they waved back.

“Hello, I’m Michelle,” she said to the men.

“B renn in der Hölle du Schlampe,” Merlin said in german and smiled. Michelle didn’t ask for a translation figuring it was not flattering.

“Ma’am, good morning to you,” Percival said politely. 

“Good morning,” she replied.

“I would like to know the name of the witch you used to poison your son. I...need a few words with them.”

“I’m not sure…”

“Well, you can tell me, or I can take you a bit aways from your children and either have our blood born hypnotize the knowledge out of you, I can magically extract it in an incredibly painful manner, or I can have Merlin here use methods that I am sure your husband has made you accustomed to. Choose, but I will leave with the information.”

Michelle pulled out her phone quickly. “This is the number I have.”

“Thank you kindly, for your aid,” Percival said.

Daisy hadn’t noticed the conversation, so busy snuggling Eggsy and the stuffed animal that had been in the bag. But Eggsy had and he’d be talking about it later with the two of them. Eggsy focused completely of Daisy, cuddling her, playing tag and when he gave Merlin a look and the man distracted Michelle, Eggsy quickly pulled her up so she could fly. 

The hour passed way too quickly and Michelle bundled Daisy up who sobbed at being taken away from Eggsy. “I’ll see you soon, I promise,” he said. “I love you so much, and I’m always watching out for you yeah.”

“If I may,” Percival said. He pulled two necklaces out of his pocket. He handed one to Eggsy and gave the other to Daisy. “Touch the pretty stone, little one, squeeze it tight and think of your brother.” Daisy stopped crying and did it and they watched Eggsy’s stone glow. “There you just gave him a hug. Every time it glows, he’ll know you are hugging him. Eggsy do the same.” Eggsy squeezed his stone tight and Daisy’s glowed as well. “And there, Eggsy is hugging you too.” Percival looked at Michelle. “I trust you will take care of the item.”

Michelle opened her mouth and saw Merlin flipping a knife in his hand behind Eggsy. “Of course I will,” she said finally. “Of course.” She did not relax when the knife disappeared. “Bye, Eggsy.”

“Bye,” Eggsy said shortly and the group walked back to the cars where Harry was lounging casually, umbrella overhead. Roxy was yelling at him and he was ignoring it. “What’s up with you two?”

“Nothing,” Harry said easily.

Eggsy looked at him. “You have a bit of blood on your lip?”

“No I don’t,” he replied.

“Yes, you fucking do, and we need to ditch a body,” Roxy hissed. “Because you wouldn’t let me take care of it. I hope he gives you indigestion.”

“You were going to kill him too,” Harry pointed out. “Now come along, everyone,” he said and got into the car.

“They killed someone?” Eggsy looked around, expecting the filth to show up.

Merlin sighed. “Great, they always make me dump the body in the Thames.”

“After I desecrate the body to hide the cause of death,” Percival added and shook his head.

“What the fuck?” Eggsy said but he was pushed into the car. “Who did they kill? Why’d they kill someone?”

“We’ll find out soon enough,” Percival said.

They drove to a spot along the river and Harry opened the boot of their car. Everyone peered in.

“That’s Rottie!” Eggsy yelled. Percival cast a spell blocking them all from view. “You killed Rottie!”

“Roxy was right I fear about the indigestion,” Harry said sadly. “He had very high cholesterol.”

“And if you let me kill him, it would have looked like he dropped dead from a heart attack, and we wouldn’t actually have to ditch a body.”

“YOU KILLED ROTTIE!” 

Percival and Merlin pulled the body out of the boot. They stared down at it. Percival drew fire to himself and engulfed the body, charring it. It was over in a minute. “Merlin?” Merlin picked up the corpse and tossed it in the river and they watched it sink.

“Well done everyone,” Harry said cheerfully.

“No it ain’t! You murdered someone!!!!”

“Not anyone who will be missed,” Roxy offered. 

“Dean will sure as fuck miss him!” Eggsy couldn’t believe them. “You can’t just kill innocent people.”

Harry’s gaze changed and his fangs dropped. “Hardly innocent. He has an extensive record, and was clearly there to spy on you for Dean, perhaps attempt to track you.”

“Why couldn’t you do what Roxy said then, make it like a heart attack.”

“Because we are sending a message,” Merlin replied, knowing what Harry was about. “Burned and drained. They’ll know when they find the body what that means. Dean will know you are well protected. That man had hurt you in the past. You do not hurt our friends.”

Eggsy looked at the four of them. Harry’s fangs down, Merlin’s smoke, the shimmer of magic around Roxy and Percival. “This is what being your friend means? Corpses in the Thames?”

“We protect each other, always, with our own lives if needed,” Harry said harshly. “This is who we are. Woe betide those who bring injury to ours.”

“Don’t hurt my mum,” Eggsy blurted out. “Not for what she has done to me. Please.”

They all looked at each other and then nodded in agreement. A couple of the nods were reluctant. But they did happen.

“Right then. Well he was likely to end up dead by someone anyways,” Eggsy said finally. “Just like...chill a little, okay?” He should not feel so loved after dumping a body in the river.

“I am perfectly chill,” Harry replied and put his fangs away.

“We should get you back to the estate,” Percival said. “The potion is fading.”

“Why don’t you kiss him again to see?” Merlin snarked. Eggsy had still be facing Harry and watched the fangs sink back down and the eyes go red.

“I beg your pardon?” Harry said stiffly. His gaze shifted back and forth between Percival and Eggsy.

“An excellent idea, Merlin,” Percival said and he leaned in and kissed Eggsy’s neck. “Hmm, yes fading, we should get you home.”

Harry’s mouth dropped open and Eggsy bit his tongue not wanting to laugh at the death glare he was now getting. “Well, since you two are in a kissing mood, Merlin you may join our car, so as not to witness that sort of...display.” Harry stalked off and got in the car. Merlin followed equally angry and Roxy rolled her eyes.

“Thanks, that’s going to be a shitty drive now,” she said.

Percival got in the other car and was smiling. Eggsy waited until he was in and the doors closed before he fell over laughing.

“Oh my god, bruv, you like Harry?”

“I do,” Percival replied.

“And you knew Merlin would spill about the kissing. And he were mad at you for it, because he knew Harry liked you.” That explained all the kicking. Merlin was being protective of his friend's feelings.

Percival mentally banged his head against the window in frustration. “Yes, of course. The only reason I kissed you was to get Harry jealous. No other reason at all. I wonder if the potion your mother gave you affected your eyes. Dragons are supposed to see a lot.”

“Huh?” Eggsy shook that off. “God, thought Harry was going to kill me. Death by shocked glare.”

“He did react very strongly didn’t he?” Percival was pleased with that.

“I’m a brilliant wingman, you know. Happy to help you get a leg over with Harry,” Eggsy said cheerfully.

“I am horrible wingman, but I will help you as well, if you like.”

“Anyone catches my eye, I’ll let you know,” Eggsy agreed. “Man what is Harry going to be like?”

“Very formal, rigid,” Percival said. “He cloaks himself in his manners when upset.”

“Gotcha,” Eggsy was absurdly amused by this. “We’ll get you your blood sucker.”

“Thank you, kindly.” Percival shook his head a little. “And you really don’t have your eye on anyone?” The brain scans certainly suggested otherwise, with the way they lit red whenever the lad thought of Merlin.

“Focused on dealing with this transformation crap, then we’ll see.”

“That is very logical.”

“Yeah, trying that out for once,” Eggsy joked. “We’ll see how it plays.” They got to the shop and found that the other three had already gone through. Eggsy snorted a bit at that. “Man, you are in trouble.”

“Harry is always trouble,” Percival replied. “Good thing is, I like trouble.” 

Eggsy had to high five the man for that. 

***********************************

Eggsy sat across from Merlin. “Hey,” he said.

“Thought you’d be eating dinner with Percival,” Merlin replied, not looking up from his tablet.

“Nah, he’s laying his trap for Harry, more jealousy with me would be overkill right now.”

Merlin looked up in shock. “Trap for Harry?”

“Yeah, Percy is sunk on Harry. We talked about it. He has spent months laying out groundwork to seduce the guy.” Eggsy laughed. “Can you imagine being so gone on someone that you work that hard on a plan to get a single date?”

Merlin watched Eggsy. “Aye. It is absurd.”

“Totally. You like someone you should just say, I fancy you, let me buy you coffee. Or something like that.” Eggsy ate his sandwich a bit. “Hey, do you know if I’m on a specific diet and Percy forgot to tell me?”

“I don't’t think so, why?” Merlin asked.

“Well, the kitchen is giving me a lot of soups and finger foods, or pastas. Haven’t given me anything you need a knife for in...at least a week. Huh, that’s weird right?” Eggsy ate the sandwich. “I mean all been tasty, but I want that fish and chips again.”

“As you say, weird,” Merlin stood up. “I can talk to them about it, I am done eating.”

“Nah, I’ll mention it,” Eggsy replied.

“No!” Merlin said far too loudly. “I’m sure that it will be fine, just trying to see what you like best.”

Eggsy shrugged. “Sure. Whatever. Hey, you flying tonight?” Eggsy asked casually.

“I hadn’t planned on it. Any reason?”

Eggsy shook his head quickly. “No. No reason, just looked like a clear night out in the forecast is all. Thought maybe you’d take a spin. No biggie. Nothing going on.”

Merlin frowned. “Okay then, I’ll see you later.”

“See ya,” Eggsy said. When Merlin was gone, he slumped in his chair. He would have moped but the stone around his neck glowed. He squeezed it back and held tight. He smiled softly. Percy was the best, he definitely had to hook him up with Harry.

And once Eggsy was sorted, maybe there was someone Percy could help him with as well.


	12. Chapter 12

“Harry?”

“Yes, Eggsy?” They were walking the grounds today, Eggsy was restless and had been almost climbing the walls in the estate. There was an itch under his skin, a thrum that he couldn’t scratch and that Percival wouldn’t give him a thing for, not if they wanted the transformation to happen.

Apparently it was time for his body to catch up. He was a mix of excitement and dread. Luckily everyone not just his guys had been working to distract him, to kill the time until whatever happened happened. And right now that was he and Harry walking outside.

“Tell me about my dad,” Eggsy said.

“I told you about -”

“No, don’t want to hear how he saved your life, saved the world, blah blah blah, crap. I want to know what you remember about him.” Eggsy looked at Harry. “Stupid little shite.”

Harry nodded. He had to stop a moment to collect his thoughts. “You have to understand, Eggsy, that his training was different than yours.”

“How?” Eggsy bent and picked a wildflower. He brought it to his nose and smiled at the sweet scent. He clutched the pendant and sent Daisy a hug. “I mean Roxy wouldn’t have been there, she is my age.”

“She was, but she was availing herself of our nanny services.”

“You have nanny services?” Eggsy frowned. “I haven’t seen kids about.”

“The nanny services were mostly Percival being annoyed that his 6 year old niece already was showing signs of magic and her parents were ignoring it so he cast a spell that made Chester always just see a cat and he built her a corner in his office to play in and Merlin babysat when he had to do dangerous work.”

“Merlin likes kids?” Eggsy was surprised. But maybe not. It was hard to tell with Merlin.

“He liked Roxy, we all did. We all took turns taking care of her when she visited. But to the original point, Lee had traditional training.”

“What’s that mean though?” They stopped at a stone wall a good bit away from the estate and sat on it.

“It meant each Kingsman proposed a candidate, and they were in competitive training. They learned together, had exercises, tests, and were eliminated as they failed. It eventually came down to two candidates your father and a man named James. Lee won the position of Lancelot over James for the simple fact that did not like the suit he was supposed to wear.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Eggsy was thoroughly lost.

“He thought navy was a poor colour for himself and decided to quit.” Harry laughed. “After your father died, we brought him back in, no one was up for a training. He died trying to learn about Valentine, and then Roxy won out her training group, just destroyed all the boys she was against. Wasn’t even a fair contest.”

“So Dad didn’t really win the job.”

“He did,” Harry reassured. “He and James were both equally qualified, and Merlin and I have always felt James bowed out because he knew that in the end he would lose to your father.” 

“Yeah?”

“Your father was a good and talented man, Eggsy,” Harry said. “He had strength, and compassion. He learned quickly and adapted what needed adapting. Being a field agent is incredibly difficult for a dragon.”

“Wait,” Eggsy said. “Why? The military fucking loves dragons. Recruits them all the time.”

“Because they need the blunt instrument. Because they can strap cargo to a dragon and have it in a location in hours versus trains and boats that can take days.” Harry paused. “When I was in the military do you know they tried to convince dragons to have passengers, to carry fellow soldiers on their back in the skies?”

“You don’t ride a fucking dragon,” Eggsy said. “Like that is knowledge a two year old knows. Sesame Street done a million skits with their friendly dragon muppet.”

“That is...not quite true. Some dragon will allow themselves to be ridden when a dire situation calls for it. Though they will grump for five days after about not being your pack mule and everyone ends up giving the dragon something for their hoard and they don’t even say thank you and not like we wouldn’t have -” Harry coughed and cut himself off. “Back on point. The reason Chester never approved a dragon doing training until your father was their strength and form are useful in such narrow circumstances.”

“Merlin’s one of you.”

“Merlin is...different, and Chester was terrified of him,” Harry smiled. That fear always had given him great pleasure. “But your father took to the training. He couldn’t shift like some others to change his appearance for undercover, but he bribed Percival for potions. He grew tricky at hand to hand, learned to recognize fae marks on walls. Every test that was put in front of him, if he couldn’t find a way through, he found one around.”

“Did he get to fly?”

“Yes,” Harry looked up at the sky. “Merlin insisted. No dragon should go more than a week without some air.”

“Learned in bio that a dragon who goes a month without transforming can get pretty sick.”

“Hmm, your father was fast in the air, a streak of red that you thought was flame. Merlin in the air is -”

“Incredible,” Eggsy sighed out, interrupting.

“He’s strong,” Harry finished biting back a smile. “He is pure force and energy. Your father was light as air. Always so hungry though after flying. It affects dragons differently. Some are hungry, some sleepy.”

“What about Merlin?” Eggsy asked.

“That is for him to say,” Harry answered. “Your father loved billiards and reading. He got along well with the the R&D department, always wanting to see what they could create, even more than Percival’s work. That is a place you and he very much differ.”

“Percival is a badass,” Eggsy said. “And handsome as fuck once you get past that boring facade of his.”

Harry made a face. “Percival is not boring. He has never been boring,” he was stiff and glared at Eggsy a little bit. “He is a man of keen intellect and taste, with a sharp sense of humour and immeasurable skill.”

“Eh,” Eggsy shrugged. “Don’t know if I would go that far, but he’s a decent enough bloke to kill some time with.” Eggsy barely could stop the smile that wanted to break over the way Harry was losing his shit right now.

“Decent enough bloke?” Harry got up off the wall and began to pace. “Decent enough bloke?” His eyes went red and his fangs dropped. “You would be lucky and should feel honoured that a man of such esteem and skill would be willing to date you! He is not a decent enough bloke, he is a witch and man without peer!”

“Why, Harry sounds like you got a whack of feels their for Percy,” Eggsy pointed out. “Might want to do something about that.”

Harry straightened his already perfect posture. “I am sure I don’t know what you mean. You and he deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“Yeah, we do, don’t mean it’s with each other,” Eggsy said. “We’re mates. That’s it. He ain’t my type.”

“Then what is with the kissing?” Harry shouted.

“You’re smart, you’ll put it together,” Eggsy said and hopped off the wall. He thought about it. To be fair, Harry was smart, but Percival had said he had been working on the guy for months. Shit, maybe Harry wasn’t smart about love. But Eggsy was. “I mean why would he be kissing on me, when he doesn’t like me that way, in front of people and then be pleased when they react strongly?” 

Harry fangs slowly retracted as he took in the words. “We should get you back,” was all he said.

“Sure, Harry,” Eggsy said. They walked. “Harry?”

“Hmm?”

“You are training me though, to be one of you. That has to mean there is an opening. Why isn’t there the full thing then?”

“Because we all decided the old way needed to change a bit. We have a power vacuum. Soon one of us will step up to lead and you will take their place in the field. Better to focus our energy on one, to see them nurtured and grown and -”

“The real answer, Harry,” Eggsy said.

“You smelled like him, when you bumped into us on the street and I grew obsessed and we found you and realized how you were hurting. We wanted to help and in doing so realized that maybe you could be one of us.”

“Okay,” Eggsy agreed. They walked back into the estate and Eggsy decided he wanted a snack. And oh look he was given food without a knife again. He’d really have to look into that.

***********************************************

“Merlin, have you seen Eggsy today?” Percival asked after he knocked on the man’s door.

Merlin looked up from his computer. “Nae.” He thought about it. “I don’t think I saw him yesterday either. Has he been busy with Harry?”

“No,” Percival said. “Shit,” he swore and ran. Merlin didn’t think and followed him. They ran to the basement, to the dragon lairs, and Percival touched the doorknob and cursed some more. He quickly cast a shield on himself and then rammed his shoulder into the door. Merlin joined him and a couple more hits and they were through.

Waves of heat hit them and they saw Eggsy in the middle of the floor. 

“Eggsy!” Merlin roared a deep noise that had smoke blowing out his nose and mouth. He ran forward, until Percival yanked him back. “He needs me!” 

“The heat he is outpouring in your human skin, he’ll burn you,” Percival said.

“He needs me!” Merlin yelled.

“I know he does, but not in this form!” Percival yelled. 

“Oh,” Merlin stopped. 

“Exactly,” Percival agreed. “Go across the way and I’ll bring him to you.”

“He’ll burn you,” Merlin protested.

“Magic, you idiot. Now go.” Merlin ran back out to make his own lair ready.

Percival crouched down near Eggsy. It felt like being in the desert under the noon sun. He hated the heat. “You should have called me.”

“Didn’t...didn’t…” Eggsy was gasping. “Not a bother.”

“You are my friend,” Percival said. “You are never a bother.”

“Am I dying? Last time this happened...happ...you said...organs melt.” Eggsy looked up at him. “Scared bruv.”

“No, no this time your organs won’t melt. Your body is ready.” Percival reached into a pocket and handed him a flask. Eggsy tried not to touch Percival but the heat still blistered Percival’s skin. Eggsy drank. 

“Wot was that then? Going to ease the pain? That’d be great,” Eggsy said. He tried to get up and fell back down. He reached out and his touch melted the plastic of Daisy’s shoe. He whimpered that he couldn’t touch his hoard.

Percival quickly chanted and shielded the tiny shoes and the oxfords and nudged them closer to Eggsy. “There, they’ll be safe to touch. And sorry no, what you drank won’t help the pain, it was plain water. You are dehydrated.”

“You carry plain water in a fancy flask?”

“Holy water, triple distilled,” Percival said. “It can come in handy.”

“Thought the holy water thing was bullshit.” Eggsy was trying to talk like all this was normal, like maybe it would keep Percival close. So that he wouldn’t be in this agony alone like his mother said.

“It sort of is?” Percival said. “I dump it on Harry he won’t smoke or melt, but he will get in a strop for ruining his hair. But in certain spells have blessed water is handy. And in this instance it soothed your throat.”

“Thanks, bruv. You are the best. Been working on Harry for you.”

“Would that be why the other day he ran into my room and shouted ‘you are more than a decent bloke’ and ran back out?”

Eggsy laughed and watched the smoke pour out of his mouth. “Yeah.”

“How amusing.” They both heard the roar. The whole building heard the roar. “Well, I think he is ready.”

“Ready?”

“When a dragon goes through puberty, it can ease their pain to have skin to skin contact with another dragon. Usually a parent will wrap their child in their wings. We’ll make do with the dragon we have. Get your clothes off Eggsy,” Percival requested. “They can’t feel good anyways at this point.”

Eggsy managed to strip down to his pants, he wasn’t getting naked and Percival seemed okay with that. “You got another flask? More water would be great. Skin feels on fire.”

Percival could see the heat radiating off him. He chanted and sent a mental apology to everyone upstairs who might be using water upstairs. He pulled and a huge ball of water appeared and he dropped it on Eggsy’s head. The steam filled the room as it evaporated as it fell on Eggsy. “Well then,” he said. 

“Thanks for trying Percy. You’re the guv.” Eggsy looked at his hands. The radiant heat was turning to… “Am I the fucking Human Torch?” He watched the flames on his hands.

“Fuck, must you be in such a hurry?” Percival said. He cast and Eggsy found himself flung out of his room and across the hall, burning Merlin’s door as he ripped through it. He crashed into the dragon who roared, but this time it was a soft rumbly thing. 

“Hey, Merlin,” Eggsy panted. “Nice digs.” He giggled. “I’m on fire.”

Merlin nodded a little and rolled so that Eggsy was lying on top of stomach. He disliked being on his back when in dragon form, but Eggsy needed the contact. The lad was slowly being encased in the flames. 

Eggsy looked around the lair and saw all sort of grey and silver. Knives, axes, swords, of all shapes and sizes filled the room. Some were bigger than him. He was about to make a sarcastic comment when he saw on one wall this circle of swords and in the middle mounted in a perfect straight lines was at least a dozen plain dinner knives. He laughed.

“So that’s why they won’t give me knives anymore.” 

Eggsy would have said more but he became a ball of pure fire.

Merlin carefully wrapped his wings around Eggsy and roared.


	13. Chapter 13

"Eggsy, please I need some samples, and to scan your brain again," Percival stood in the gym and tried to get Eggsy to respond, but Eggsy kept just running and jumping over everything. "Eggsy let me help you."

That brought Eggsy to a crashing halt. "Help me? You said you were helping me! And look your 'help' did fuck all." He was gasping for air and smoke was pouring out his nostrils. "I was lit on fucking fire, bruv, and what happened?" Percival didn't answer. "WHAT HAPPENED?" Eggsy shouted.

"Nothing," Percival replied softly. "But false starts are not completely unexpected. With what was in your system, we can't say for sure, but...Just let me run some more tests."

"Fuck you," Eggsy said. "Fuck your tests. It's clear innit? My dragon is fucked. I'll be dealing with these half symptoms forever. Won't get to see Daisy proper ever because hey who knows when I'll just burst into flames? I'll what just live out here forever caged, pathetic. You said you could fix this."

"I am fixing it." Percival reached out. "I'm trying, Eggsy."

Eggsy stepped away from him. "Sorry bruv, not trusting you ever again." He went back to running and didn't see the devastated look on Percival's face.

Percival went back to his lab and sat on his stool. He took his glasses off and pressed the heels of his hands hard into his eyes. That way he could dismiss the tears as the pressure of his palms, not how Eggsy hurt him. He sat like that for a couple minutes, grateful that Roxy was in London purchasing them some supplies. Merlin was flying, he hadn't transformed back to human since Eggsy was on fire the day before yesterday.

He had eaten three cows from the neighbouring farm. Harry went and paid double what they worth and ended up with a couple spare.

It was a mess.

He straightened and put his glasses on and began putting the last of his Eggsy samples into his cauldron with a few other things. While that boiled he ran an analysis on his computer of the brain scans and looked at his blood under a microscope. He ignored Harry standing in the doorway. Harry would yell at him for cocking all this up soon enough.

"He's hurting, he doesn't mean it," Harry said softly.

"I screwed up, that should have been the end of this," Percival still wouldn't look over. The cauldron liquid turned blue. "What the hell?" He put a drop of it on a slide and looked at it carefully. "Something is still blocking him. Small, but enough. I have reverse engineered what he was on, but couldn't figure out everything." Percival properly tidied up his work area and went to his cabinet. He put a few small bottles into his bag of holding.

His sword handle, a lighter grenade and a few other things went in as well. He strapped on his gun, which he seldom did, and put on his suit jacket. "Excuse me Galahad," he said calmly.

"You'll need some muscle," was Harry's comment.

"I need to fix this," Percival said. "I will fix this. I won't let him down."

Harry gave him a fond smile, "You haven't. I swear it. And you are not that good at information extraction. Let me come along to help. Remember your do no harm unless your life is on the line policy?"

"They have harmed my friend Harry. You'll find at this moment in time, I will be capable of being very persuasive." Percival held out his hand and concentrated. A terrifying and moving black sludge appeared. "Very persuasive," he repeated and the stuff that was pure nightmare disappeared.

"Still, allow me to keep you company." Harry shrugged. "Consider it a date if you like."

Percival didn't respond to that, just walked out of his room with the intent to get the truth, once and for all. Harry fell in step beside him and soon they were in the city hunting down the name they had gotten from Michelle.

*******************************************

Eggsy found himself outside and was furious. He saw Merlin circling in the sky. How dare he fucking stay in dragon form, after what didn't happen to Eggsy. It was ache, an honest to god ache in his heart to see Merlin up there and not be with him. Eggsy pressed a hand to his chest but it didn't relieve the pain. "OI!!!!" he shouted to the skies, as his Merlin could hear him. "YOU FUCKER! GET YOUR ARSE DOWN HERE!" Eggsy was shocked when Merlin glided in and landed with a thump. He stared at the dragon, and for a moment just hated him. "Merlin will you fucking change already? Change back you bastard!" 

Merlin stared at him with sad eyes, but shook his head.

Eggsy didn't think, just charged at Merlin and began beating at his snout. "You fucking bastard, you decide to taunt me with this? You asshole! How dare you fly when I can't. Change back! You bastard change back!" He just kept screaming and hitting Merlin and Merlin just took it.

"Eggsy!" Roxy shouted and ran and tackled him. "Stop. Stop."

"He's taking the piss, showing up that he can change and I can't," Eggsy screamed and shoved her off. He swung wildly and Roxy blocked it easily and used her magic to suspend him in the air a few metres away. She checked on Merlin who was fine, just clearly upset. She rubbed his jaw and he tilted into the touch a little before taking off into the sky. "Yeah you fucking tosser, you run away!" Eggsy screamed after him. Merlin roared in the sky and disappeared from view.

Roxy turned on Eggsy and glared at him. "You need to calm down."

"Calm down?" Eggsy glared right back. "Would you be calm right now if you were me?"

"I'd listen to those around me who are trying to help!"

"What do you know. You showed your strength before puberty, I heard, how much have you actually suffered. You don't understand shit. Your uncle is a lying bastard, and Merlin is...Merlin is just a bastard."

"He can't change back, you idiot!" Roxy yelled.

Eggsy had been getting ready to shout some more and stopped. "What?"

"You are going through dragon puberty right?" He didn't say anything and Roxy shook him a little in the air. "Right?"

"Right, but it didn't take. Only flying I'm doing is this spell you have on me."

"Dragons stay in dragon form while their children deal with the final change. To help them. You didn't have a dragon parent so Merlin stepped in. But you didn't change. His body knows that and is waiting. Until you change, he physically can't change back. He could be stuck as a dragon for forever if you don't finish your transition."

Eggsy's jaw dropped. He didn't know that. Percival had given him all sorts of reading on what was going to happen but that hadn't been in there. Oh god. Merlin was stuck, just like him. Eggsy felt his eyes fill. "Roxy," he begged.

Roxy let him out of the spell and brought him to the ground. Eggsy sat on the grass and began to cry. "It...it was supposed to be done. I was supposed to be whole."

Roxy hugged him. "I know, hun, and we are working on it I swear."

"I've been an ass today," Eggsy hiccuped. "But I'm so scared."

"Shh, you'll say sorry," Roxy looked to the skies. She sent a flare up to attract Merlin's attention. Soon the sound of flapping wings could be heard and he was back down. He lay himself on the ground and looked at Eggsy. "I'll leave you two alone." Roxy went back into the estate.

Eggsy and Merlin stared at each other. Eggsy looked into his eyes. The dragon eyes were the same colour as his human one, with a different shape. But fuck did they convey emotion in a way the human version did not. "I'm sorry, Merlin," Eggsy said. "I'm sorry. We'll get you squared. I promise you won't be stuck like that." Merlin crawled a little closer and rested his head in Eggsy's lap, showing trust that he wouldn't be hit again. Eggsy rubbed his snout and placed a gentle kiss. "You can wail on me later yeah? Make it even?" 

Merlin shook his head and blew indignant smoke at Eggsy.

"No, that's not your way is it?" Eggsy touched the smooth hide. "I'm sorry I hit you. Sorry I shouted. Sorry for so much." He kept his hand moving gently over Merlin. "I just wanted to fly with you. Proper fly, yeah? You and me in the sky. Bet it would have been amazing." Eggsy wiped away a tear. "And now we're fucked. Story of my goddamn life."

Merlin took his head off of Eggsy's lap and moved away and turned his body. He then looked back and tilted his head. He huffed when Eggsy didn't move and tilted his head again.

"I don't get it Merlin," Eggsy said. "Almost looks like you want me to climb aboard." Eggsy watched the dragon nod its head. "You can't be serious." He learned that dragons can actually roll their eyes. "You don't ride dragons!" Eggsy said. "You don't step in a fairy ring, you don't push full blood borns into the sun, you don't shave shifters if they have gone full animal, and you don't ride a goddamn dragon." Merlin looked confused. "Okay that shift born thing is a personal experience thing with my mate Jamal. But the rest is common knowledge. Dragons hate to be ridden." Merlin nodded. "See! Kind of proving my point." But Merlin just kept looking at him. "Why, Merlin?"

Merlin roared and flapped his wings and then reached out and snatched Eggsy up with his talons and threw Eggsy onto his back. In a second he was up in the air.

"What the fuck?" Eggsy screamed and gripped tight where wing met body. There wasn't really anywhere else to grab. He lay himself completely against Merlin, the wind whipping at him. It was freezing and stinging and oh god he was flying with Merlin. When Merlin had brought him to the estate it was clutched in his talons and held carefully and he had been too out of it to really remember. This was far more dangerous, not even reins to hold onto. This was as free as he could get.

Merlin flew a little higher and then glided in circles, letting the air currents do the work. He could feel Eggsy's grip, even through the thicker hide it was painful, but he hoped Eggsy would understand what he was doing. He landed on the roof of the estate, the part that had been reinforced for him. He waited to see if Eggsy would slide off, but the lad kept his tight grip. "Again," Eggsy whispered. Merlin really wished his dragon form could smile. Instead he roared and took off in the air again.

Eggsy clued in, that Merlin had wanted just as much to fly with him.

They stayed in the air for who knows how long, just circling and gliding. Eggsy eventually loosened his grip and sat up, let the wind sting his face. It was a perfect agony.

"Having fun?" Percival asked.

Eggsy startled at the noise right beside him and almost fell off but gripped the wings tight. "How the hell?" He noticed the broom. "Really?"

Percival shrugged. "Sometimes I'm a traditionalist." The winds was stealing their words and they were shouting. "I think I know how to fix this!" Percival shouted.

"How?" Eggsy didn't want to let himself hope.

"I need you to trust me." Percival's eyes were desperate. "Please just try to trust me one more time."

Eggsy looked at him. At his friend, who had spent months, trying to fix him. He nodded. "Yeah, bruv, I trust you. Of course I trust you."

Percival nodded and flew to Merlin's head and whispered into the dragon's ear before flying away and back down to the ground where Harry was waiting. "Oh fuck, I hope this works." Harry stood there under his umbrella, drinking a tea cup of blood, like he hadn't just recently drained a person dry.

"It will," Harry said, confident in Percival.

They watched as Merlin shot up into the air, climbing higher and higher and Eggsy trying to hold on. Merlin did a sharp spin and Eggsy fell off and was falling to the ground.

Percival prayed and readied a spell to catch Eggsy if this went horribly wrong. If what they had learned turned out to be a lie. They watched Merlin roar into the sky and fly straight down to catch Eggsy.

Eggsy was less than a hundred metres from the ground and Harry dropped his tea cup and ran forward. Percival began to cast and they saw a flash of gold and Merlin's talons and then wings wrap around Eggsy as he crashed into the earth. It sent up a huge cloud of dust and dirt and grass. Percival and Harry went to them and Harry checked on Merlin who was dazed and would be horrifically bruised but otherwise seemed okay.

Percival nudged at Merlin's top wing and it folded away.

Percival let the tears happily fall as he pried Merlin's talons away from the sleek golden dragon that they were holding. Eggsy was a third of the size of Merlin and looking right pissed off and Percival didn't care. He hugged Eggsy's neck and pat the scales.

"Look at you," he whispered. "Look at you."

Eggsy blew some smoke in his face and tried to stand on his own and promptly fell over.

Harry came over and laughed and stepped out of the way of the tiny fire that Eggsy tried to blow at him. "You'll get the hang of it," Harry said. "Merlin will teach you." 

Eggsy would have nodded but he tripped over his talons and fell over again and passed out from the exhaustion of his first transformation. He returned to human form, and was naked, not wearing the dragon proof Kingsman clothes. Harry took his jacket off and draped it over Eggsy.

Merlin turned back human and with a twist had his dislocated shoulder back in place. "We are talking about this tomorrow," he warned them. He picked up Eggsy to carry him inside to his lair.

Percival kept crying happy tears.

Harry carefully took his hand. "You did it," he said.

Percival nodded. "Torturing and killing the witch who poisoned him doesn't count as a date you know."

"What if I took you to dinner tomorrow night?"

Percival nodded. "That would do very well, yes," he agreed. "I need to go monitor Eggsy."

"I'll come along to make sure Merlin lets you monitor Eggsy."

They walked in after the two dragons. It took the bribe of a new sword and a new axe to get Merlin to let them check on Eggsy.


	14. Chapter 14

"So, we gonna talk about how you coulda killed me?" Eggsy asked. 

"We can if you like," Percival replied. He drew a little blood and then took a cheek swab. "Would you care to see how your brain is lit up now?"

"Hell yes!" Eggsy grabbed the helmet and slapped it on. "Ask me about flying."

Percival smiled a bit and turned his tablet on. "Eggsy, think about flying." They both watched as that corner positively lit up golden with small streaks of red in it. "Just flying Eggsy," Percival said.

"I am," Eggsy protested. He reached out to touch the colours and had his hand swatted away.

"You are thinking about Merlin and flying," Percival said. "Focus on your own dragon."

"How'd you know that?"

"You always have red flares when we you think of Merlin."

"That means you want to fuck him!" Roxy called from her side of the lab.

"Thank you, for your assistance, Roxanne. Would you like me to put this on your head and expose your innermost thoughts and shout them for all to hear? Because I would be very happy to ask you about that crush you had on Harry when you were 15." Percival gave her a pointed look.

"Only if you wear it and we talk about your crush on Harry right now," she shot back.

"It isn't a crush when you have a date for this evening," Percival replied. He watched Eggsy's brain fire up. "Thank you for being happy for me."

"Sure, you two are going to be a cute pair," Eggsy said. "And I'm sorry yeah? Sorry about the yelling and stuff." He smiled. "Just like I'm sure you are sorry you had Merlin try to kill me?"

"No, I am not sorry for that," Percival said. He took a few more readings and then removed the helmet. "It was the only way. Your body needed to tap into its core instincts, they were still blocked by the poison in your system. Only a full adrenaline override was going to fix it."

"Percival, what happened to the person who made my protein shakes?"

"They were reluctant to share their craft," Percival said calmly. "Harry and I talked with them and then they were kind enough to explain what they did and provide us with samples of their more...black market items. That is what Roxy is mucking about with there."

Roxy stirred her cauldron and let out a mad cackle. The steam that rose from it formed a hand and tried to choke her. She and Percival both shot spells at it and it calmed down.

"If they were from my neck of the woods, doubt they shared so easily," Eggsy said.

Percival smiled at him. "I believe you are expected for flying lessons. And remember, you promised me some dragon samples."

"Hey Rox you looking to get my dragon jizz?" Eggsy asked.

"No," she shuddered. "You ever going to drop that?"

"Nope!" Eggsy was downright cheerful. "Hey guys, guess what?"

"What?" they both said.

"I'm a dragon."

They rolled their eyes and kicked him out of their room.

Eggsy walked down the hall, whistling. And saw Harry. "Harry!" he shouted.

Harry tried to pretend he didn't hear, only he ended up with an Eggsy on his back. "Hello, Eggsy," he said and kept walking.

Eggsy was a little impressed but hey blood born were supposed to be strong. "Did you know I'm a dragon?"

"I was there," Harry reminded him. "You were tiny."

"I wasn't that tiny, it's just that Merlin is huge," Eggsy pouted. He tightened his grip on Harry and was pleased when Harry just sighed and then hitched his arms under Eggsy's legs and gave him a proper piggyback. The guns dug in a little but he didn't mind. "And maybe I'll grow."

"Likely not," Harry said. "You are going to be a teeny tiny dragon forever." He kept walking through the estate.

"How do you figure?"

"The delayed puberty, meant that your dragon didn't have a chance to grow with you. Since it all happened in a short span all at once, our guess is what you transformed to, is what you will be. A cute little pocket sized dragon."

"I'm as big as a small lorry!" Eggsy flicked Harry's hair. "Not my fault Merlin's the bloody Beast of the Sky."

"You are small enough you could ride him as a dragon." Harry walked into the dining hall and saw Merlin at a corner table. He walked over and kicked the table out of the way and with a heave threw Eggsy over his shoulders and into Merlin's lap. "And also you haven't actually transformed yourself. You can't train with us into you can do that easily and at will. You are a baby dragon. Come back to me when you are at least a teen dragon." Harry walked away.

"I hope you spill food on yourself during your date with Percival!" Eggsy shouted after him. "And I'm a good size dragon. Reasonable," he muttered. He realized then that he was in Merlin's lap. "Hey guv," he said.

"Hello, Eggsy," Merlin replied. He held Eggsy loosely.

"I'm a dragon."

"You know I may have heard something to that effect." 

"Can we try?"

"Let me finish my meal, and you should eat as well."

"Sure," Eggsy said and scrambled off Merlin's lap and went to the kitchen and came back with soup and a sandwich. He sat down. "So...I see you have a knife," he commented.

"Aye, hard to cut up chicken without it." Merlin made an elegant slice and ate.

"And you won't abscond with that one."

"No," Merlin said.

"Only mine when we eat together." Eggsy ate some soup. Merlin didn't say a damn thing. "No comment? No lame excuse about that pretty display of dull and cheap kitchen knives in amid some of the most badass weaponry I've ever seen?" Still nothing. "Harry says you name all of them. Like over 200 hundred in their and they all have names."

Merlin frowned. "They come with names they share with me, I don't name them."

"Even my fish and chip knife?" Eggsy nudged him under the table. "Go on then, what are their names. Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton Tail?" Eggsy was grinning. "What about the seven dwarves?"

Merlin calmly finished eating and precisely put his cutlery on the plate and his napkin to the side. He took a sip of water and when he breathed out it was pure steam. Everyone in the room stilled. "The knives, all of them, are named..." he trailed off and Eggsy leaned foward. "None of your fucking business," he finished.

"Oi! They were my knives!" Eggsy shouted.

"I'll be on the roof, if ye care for a flying lesson." Merlin got up and took his plate to the kitchen and left.

Eggsy began stuffing food into his mouth and Bors who had been at the next table immediately started making book with everyone as to what the names of those knives might be. Eggsy finished and with cheeks still stuffed he brought his plate to the kitchen and ran up to the roof. "Ready!" he said around the last little bit. He chewed and swallowed. "Ready," he repeated.

Merlin smiled at the enthusiasm. "Ye won't be ready to fly yet from the ground, that takes a little more training, but a jump from the roof and ye should be able to figure it out. It is honestly trial and error and instinct. Just like learning to walk as a baby." His smile grew and he ran a little and leapt off the roof of the building. Before Eggsy could even take a breath Merlin was moving up, wings flapping as he flew in a quick circle and returned and when he touched down he landed back in human form. "Do you know the tricky trick about flying?"

"When you jump just don't come back down," Eggsy said. All his bravado was gone and he was terrified that maybe it had been a one off, that those 3 minutes of being a dragon were all he was going to get. That he would jump off this roof and all he'd have to show for it was half a dozen broken bones. "Merlin -" he cut off the words. If he said it out loud, maybe he fear would come true.

Merlin moved closer. "Don't think about it. Feel it. In your bones, in your gut, in your heart. Feel what your body wants to do. Just let it soar." Merlin was right in front of him. "Close your eyes and picture flying. Picture talons and wings, and scale. You were golden, shimmering like a hoard of old, one in fairy tales. They would nae be able to find you in a pile of coin and gems, your scales would blend in so well." Eggsy could feel the energy crackling off of Merlin, could feel it under his own skin. "Plus ye are so fucking tiny, they wouldn't notice you anyways." Merlin then ran and jumped into the sky.

Eggsy opened his eyes. "You bastard," he shouted and didn't think just ran and jumped after him. His first thought was oh shit it worked and his second was oh shit there is the ground again. Merlin roared and somehow Eggsy understood that roar as  _open your fucking wings_. He concentrated and felt them fan out behind him and then all of a sudden he was swooping upwards. 

Not falling.

Flying.

He was goddamn, fucking, 100% flying. In the sky. With his wings.

Because he, Eggsy Unwin, was a dragon. He flapped a little and tilted and tried to figure out how to steer. 

"How do you move?" he shouted. He could hear the words and also that they were just a bellow of noise.

"Follow me," was the call back. Merlin pulled his wings in tight and dove. Eggsy followed and did everything that Merlin did for an hour until he thought he had the hang of it. He shot through the sky past Merlin and looked around. Everything was so different. His eyes were more like fish lenses now everything was curved and he actually saw better for things further away than he could have imagined. He stretched his neck out and tried to blast fire into the air. It was a small flame but it totally counted. 

He flew back to Merlin and tried to grin. Well that felt weird with long jaws. It was more that he let his tongue fall out and snapped them opened and closed. But Merlin seemed to get the idea. "Race?" Eggsy demanded.

Merlin shot fire into the air that in no way made Eggsy jealous and Eggsy took off. Merlin caught up easily but Eggsy dipped a little and flew under Merlin and over and realized that oh my god barrel rolls were the best thing ever. He forgot they were racing as he circled over and around Merlin, twisting his body in ways he couldn't have imagined. And when he moved like this, Merlin couldn't catch him. He was too agile and every snap of Merlin's jaw or talons missed.

Eggsy moved right in front of Merlin and bumped his nose against Merlin's and blew a little smoke at him, thrilled with the flight.

Merlin's eyes widened in shock and he bumped back.

That was when Eggsy realized that holy shit he had just kissed Merlin. 

He dove under Merlin and headed back to the estate and landed on the ground. Percival was there with supplies. "I demand my samples!" he shouted.

Eggsy tried to say not right now, but it came out as a sneeze and rather covered Percival in bogies. Shit, he thought, I'm dead, and somehow that was enough to turn him human. "Bruv, I am so sorry," Eggsy said. "Oh god, please don't kill me or turn me into a toad! I'll pay for the dry cleaners yeah? Can you say something?"

Percival looked down at all the goo covering him. He then grinned and laughed. "I am both grossed out and excited. This is a great deal of sample to work with, thank you Eggsy."

"You are such a weird fucker."

"I am," Percival agreed. "Now do I scrape myself into the...no better just to go to the work room as is. Maybe with a stop to see if Harry would like to kiss me, just to see the revulsion on his face." Percival nodded. "Eggsy do remember to listen to what your body needs after a flight like that."

"Sure, Percy," Eggsy agreed. Percival walked back into the estate, catching the bogies as they tried to drip off him. "He's mental."

"Aye and I am thankful for it every day. It has kept us alive for many a year." Merlin came up beside him. "Ye are fast and clever in the sky. That was impressive flying for a first time out."

Merlin was standing so close and smelling so good, like wind and trees, and Eggsy was rock hard. "Right. Gotta go," Eggsy stammered and ran into the estate. He made it down to his room and was barely in the door when he stripped down and started to wank. Fuck it was the best it had ever felt and was over about a minute after he collapsed on the bed. Worse than when he had been 14. "Fuck," he groaned. "Fuck fuck fuck." He lay there and thought about flying and cursed when just a few minutes later he was hard again. He wanked three more times that hour. And when he was hard again, he didn't even care anymore, he was pissed off.

He threw on a pair of trackies and stormed across the way and banged on Merlin's door. He didn't bother waiting for an answer and just walked in.

There was Merlin wanking as well.

"Ok so this is just a dragon thing then," he said. "Right." He ran and collapsed on top of Merlin and kissed him hungrily. 

"Eggsy," Merlin pushed him away.

"Nope, less talk more kisses," Eggsy said.

"This is just the post flight biological response, ye don't -"

"You have my knives on your wall, in your hoard, and I've wanted to suck your dick from the second I proper saw you in Kingsman. You are fit, gorgeous, and have fingers that look like they'l do the job. Now let's get on with this because I am tired of rubbing my own dick raw." He pulled Merlin in for another kiss.

Merlin was not going to argue with that and flipped them over, pulled Eggsy's trackies down, and in a second had his mouth around Eggsy, taking him down to the hilt.

"Mother fucker!" Eggsy shouted and Merlin sucked and pressed his tongue against Eggsy and once again it was all over way too quickly. Merlin kept his mouth around Eggsy and jerked himself off, spilling onto his bedsheets. Housekeeping was really going to hate it that the second dragon in house also responded to the transformation in this manner. He gave Eggsy another lick, but it seemed the lad was done for now. He crawled up the bed and pulled Eggsy close. 

"The dinner knives are all named  _mine_ ," Merlin whispered into his ear.

"Huh, thought they looked like Norbert's myself but you never can tell." They fell asleep exhausted from everything.

When Merlin awoke a few hours later he was bummed to be alone but got up to dress. He went to slide into his favourite shoes and found them missing. Two other pairs as well. He laughed and decided to go to the gym for a bit. 

Eggsy was quite pleased how Merlin's shoes fit into his small collection here. "Hello Bastian," he said as he patted a pair.

Oh fuck, hoard objects really did have names.


	15. Chapter 15

“Eggsy, this is getting ridiculous,” Harry said as he walked on to the estate’s roof. Eggsy blew smoke at him, hoping he would go away. Harry didn’t move, though he adjusted the umbrella over his head a little, it was a frightfully bright day. “Eggsy, Merlin will be back late tonight or even tomorrow morning, you cannot stay a dragon that long, it isn’t healthy for you yet.” Eggsy had gone into dragon form this morning to fly a little with Merlin before he left and it was now afternoon and he had refused to change back.

Eggsy roared at Harry and turned his back and kept sunning on the roof.

“Fine. I didn’t want to do this, but if you don’t transform back to human, the limited edition gold winged trainers in this bag I’m carrying will become chew toys for the Kingsman dogs,” Harry said firmly. “Count of three Mr. Unwin,” Harry warned. “One, two -”

“No!” Eggsy said and ran over and snatched the bag away. “Don’t be mean to shoes.” He hugged the bag to his chest and then his biological reaction occurred and he dropped the bag in front of his dick. “Uh, Harry?”

“Yes, yes, I am aware you respond like Merlin does, you’ll live while we talk.”

“Not sure how much I’ll be able to pay attention, not a lot of blood in my brain right now Haz.”

“Try,” Harry replied. “Merlin and Roxy had to go.”

“You didn’t send your boyfriend,” Eggsy pointed out.

“Three dates does not make a boyfriend,” Harry said stiffly. “We are reaching...an accord.”

“Is that what you call putting a bloke’s dick in your mouth when you are posh? Because I just call it a real good time,” Eggsy grinned and that grin widened at how nonplussed Harry was.

“That is...we’ve had three dates! He kissed my wrist at the end of the last one. Because he is a gentleman.”

“Yeah Merlin ain’t a gentleman,” Eggsy said positively gleeful. He rocked on his heels which banged the bag into his hard dick and he groaned not sure if it was a good or bad hurt. “Harry, just let me go wank and then we can talk.”

“No,” Harry replied.

“Hey, blood borns are horny fucks too, don’t be mean.”

“We really aren’t, it is all pop culture crap.”

That distracted Eggsy. “Wait there was a full blood born back home. He shagged everyone and everything.”

“On statistical average, bone born have the most sex, fae born the least. Blood is a little above that. One movie with an oversexed blood born and it changed the whole perception of us.”

“You don’t like sex, Harry? Like you are ace? Fuck, sorry, bruv, I didn't know.”

“No,” Harry paused. “I don’t know, alright?”

“Huh?”

Harry stared at the horizon. “I haven’t had sex before. No one interested me enough.”

“Does Percy?”

“We shall see,” Harry replied. He cleared his throat, wanting desperately to change the topic. “Now to my larger point. In battle you will have to transform and transform back and not have time to attend to your needs right away. You will have to learn to cope with this.”

“What, so fight with a dick hard enough to hammer nails?” Eggsy joked.

“Yes,” Harry answered and swung his umbrella down and across, knocking Eggsy to his feet. His skin smoked just a little bit in the sun. “I learned how to fight when the sun burns me.” He kicked and punched and in a second had one of his guns to Eggsy’s forehead. “I learned how to cope and adjust and push through. You will do the same.”

“Sure, but uh? Harry you sitting on my lap ain’t helping my issue. My head only kinda wants Merlin riding that, but my body is pointing out, hey there is a handsome fucker on top of you.” Eggsy kept his hands well away from Harry.

“Deal with it,” Harry said. He stood up and helped Eggsy up, only to push him back down again. “Come on then.”

Eggsy really wanted to fuck his body against Merlin’s mattress, get the smell of the man in his nose, but it seemed he had an obstacle to get through first. Eggsy roared and smoke poured out of his nose. He ran at Harry and had his ass handed to him four times. Harry really didn’t give a fuck that his skin at this point was blistering from the sun. Eggsy had to admit that was impressive.

Eggsy realized he wouldn’t beat Harry in straight hand to hand. “Harry, there is one big difference between you and me.” He picked up the bag with the shoes.

“There are in fact several,” Harry said pressing forward.

“Sure, but what I mean is, you are determined to go through, punch your way out. Me, I survived by going around, by running.”  He swung the bag out and Harry jumped back. This time Eggsy didn’t try to attack, but turned and ran and jumped off the roof to a ledge below. “Thanks for the shoes, Harry!” he shouted and disappeared into a window.

Harry picked up the umbrella and covered his skin, sighing at the relief the shade provided. He needed to drink some blood and get to medical. He could go to Percival, but he didn’t want the man to see him looking this dreadful. 

He smiled though, Eggsy when fully trained would be a very interesting addition to their team.

*************************************************

“What the fuck are ye wearing?” Merlin asked as he stared at Roxy. He had flown himself north to their destination while Roxy had taken the bullet train. He had arrived before her and had to wait. He paced, ignoring the itch under his skin until it passed. It took longer than it used to. He blamed Eggsy for that. Twice more they had fallen into bed together after flying lessons and were a mess of hands and mouths and fuck he wanted more. He wanted the whole of the lad, and those thoughts were not helpful at the moment. He pictured Harry naked and that killed his desire quick enough. 

Then Roxy arrived in a full skirt and leather corset over a white shirt, black gloves and a veil.

It was disturbing. Attractive, but really disturbing.

“This coven is traditional,” Roxy said. “All meetings must be in formal attire.”

“If ye fell into water you’d drown in all those layers,” he commented.

“Kingsman designed. One tug and the skirts are off.” Roxy looked around and showed where in the all the fabric there was actually a long slit. He saw the dagger strapped to her thigh. 

“Ye stole Mortimer?” He almost shouted.

“He was a perfect fit,” she hissed. “I’ll give him back. Don’t you smoke at me.” Merlin gave her a small nod. “Now they will have sent a car,” she said and looked around. “Oh good god, they sent a carriage.” She sighed, “fucking traditionalists.”

“Even money one of those horses is shift born and spying on us,” Merlin whispered.

Roxy nodded in agreement. “See the fae charm there, carved into the wood. Truth charm, won’t be able to lie once we are on that. So...remember to be my menacing bodyguard.”

“I know my damn role,” Merlin muttered. They went over and he helped her step into the carriage. The horses moved without any word from them. “Beautiful country out here,” he said. “If we had more time, I’d pop home, it’s nae so far from here.”

“Maybe you and Eggsy could fly there one day,” she said. “If his tiny wings can make it that far.”

“We really tease him too much about his size,” Merlin said.

“You going to stop?”

“God no, he’s too cute,” Merlin said. “And too be fair, I’m disturbingly large.” Merlin watched her gaze drop to his lap and smirk. “Roxy!” 

“Bet my strap on is bigger,” she said.

“Heaven save me, from those I protect.” He looked at the scenery. “Why could Percival nae do this?”

Roxy glared at him a little, for forgetting the truth charm. She tried to think of a way to phrase it. “He...Uncle is not a traditionalist and that chafes certain groups especially considering his natural skill levels.”

“He blends too much science into his magic.”

Roxy nodded. “I don’t, so it is easier for me to gain access to certain groups.” The carriage pulled up to a small castle. Roxy and Merlin rolled their eyes at each other and alighted from the carriage. Merlin went and knocked on the door for Roxy and a servant answered.

“Ms. Roxanne Morton of London, full moon born daughter of the north star bids you allow her entrance. She is expected,” Merlin declared formally.

The servant let them in and lead them to a drawing room. Roxy sat in a chair and Merlin stood behind her. They were left to wait a good bit of time then thirteen people entered the room and barred the door.

Merlin turned on his glasses and waited for the connection to fire up, but it wouldn’t work.

“Your pathetic technology will not work in this sanctuary of magic. This last bulwark of honour and dignity,” a man said. “Such weak creatures to forget where your strength lies.”

“We come to talk. I heard you have seen first hand the mutations that have been cropping up the world over. We are trying to understand, to stop them.”

“We know,” said a woman. “But you cannot. It is time for all those who were lost to rise up. People are going to be free. And you cannot stop it.”

“You are poisoning people, killing them,” Roxy protested. “Why?”

Merlin looked at the group. “Not them,” he said. “They don’t have the ability.”

The man threw a bolt of magic at Merlin and sneered when it knocked Merlin to the ground. “We are the strongest coven in England! You doubt our ability?”

“Ye are middle men, distributors at most. Because our lab witch? He has studied the mutated people. And it is more than straight magic in their blood.” Merlin got up completely unharmed - he had let the spell hit him for show. “Who is making this potion or drug or whatever it is.”

“You will find no answers here, only death,” a woman said and the thirteen witches went into a traditional battle formation. “You might be a strong witch Roxanne Morton, but you cannot defeat all of us.” A nimbus of power surrounded the coven. Protection spells, and offensive ones at the ready. “They’ll not even find remains when they search for you.”

Merlin snarled ready to transform but Roxy held up a hand and stood. She took off the veil and the gloves and looked at them all. “I’m a traditionalist in comparison to my uncle. But that doesn’t mean I’m traditional.” She threw Mortimer at one of the one’s casting a shield, knowing it was a magic cast, and not built to reflect actual weaponry. It stabbed through his throat. Roxy then sent out a shockwave that threw half the witches in the air. 

Merlin pulled out the knives from the small of his back and ran forward, slitting throats and stabbing, their spells bouncing off him thanks to the shields woven into the Kingsman attire that Percival had designed. He and Roxy moved together well and were vicious in their attack until only one was left alive.

Roxy went over and clutched the woman’s throat. “You really shouldn’t underestimate city witches.” Her free hand glowed. “Tell us what is going on!”

“It is all going to come down, we are making everyone free.”

“You aren’t, you are just killing them.”

The witch laughed. “A few mistakes are worth it for what will come.” She cast on herself quickly and burned from the inside out, killing herself.

“Well, fun road trip,” Merlin said. “Now we get to search a whole fucking castle for any clues.” He looked at Roxy. “We are not splitting up, likely traps everywhere.” Roxy agreed and they started at the top and worked their way down, finding nothing.

Five hours later they were ready to give up when Merlin tilted his head. “Smell that?” Roxy shook her head. Merlin walked to a wall. “Air, stale, scented.” Roxy cast a finding spell and they found a trigger and opened a secret door. They walked through and Roxy had to bite back a sob.

A young man was chained to the wall and magic was just pouring off of him, hurting and healing himself in equal measure. Fire would pour from one hand and ice the other. He was crying as spell after spell was wrenched out of his skin.

He saw them. “Please, help me, please. They said this would free me, but it hurts. It hurts so much and it won’t stop. Please.” He vomited flowers that rot as they hit the floor.

Roxy cast a shield around him, but it crumbled quickly. She ran over and gave him the small but potent healing potion that had been hidden in her corset but it did nothing. His screams were piercing her brain. She cast everything she could think of and nothing helped him.

“Go outside, Roxy,” Merlin said softly.

“No, I can fix this. Or Uncle can,” she pleaded.

“Roxy, go,” Merlin ordered. 

Roxy went up to the boy and ignored when he threw up blood onto her skirts. She kissed his cheek. “I’m so sorry.”

“Please,” he begged.

Roxy ran out of the room and Merlin went over. He lifted the boy’s chin up. He was a little younger than Eggsy.  “Lad, close your eyes, and find your way home,” Merlin said.

“They kept saying poppy,” the boy told him.

“Thank you,” Merlin replied. “Close your eyes.” When the boy did so, Merlin snapped his neck. He looked around the room and found a potion bottle and some notes and gathered them up. He took them outside to Roxy. “Hold these.” He went back in the castle and took a deep breath and transformed breaking stone wall around him. He burned the dead coven, the poor boy, and breathed enough fire that the whole place would be destroyed. He walked out, squeezing through a hole his wings had burst through the west wing and walked over to Roxy.

“You’ll get us home faster than the train,” she pointed out. “It isn’t due at the station for another two hours. Rather thought this would take a bit more time.”

Merlin roared at her.

“I’ll replace Mortimer, I promise,” she said. “And you gave Eggsy a lift.” Merlin roared again. “No, I sort of forgot the traveller’s coin.”

Merlin huffed smoke at Roxy and then bent his head.

Roxy climbed on, thankful for the slit in her skirt. “We look like the cover of a shitty romance novel.” Merlin grumbled a bit and she laughed at him. “Oh wasn’t I supposed to know you had a stack of them under your bed? Whoops!” She screamed when Merlin took off and maybe he made the ride a bit bumpier than it had to be, just because that had been a good knife, and those books were private dammit. Not that their team had any understanding of the word privacy.

They were home a few hours later and he roared and several people came out. He circled a few more times just to annoy Roxy before setting down and transforming back.

Eggsy came running. “You’re back!” He would have leapt at Merlin but stopped. “Why do you look pissed and sad?”

“It wasn’t a meeting it was a trap,” Roxy said her legs were wobbly from riding Merlin for so long, she certainly wouldn't forget the coin again. She saw her uncle coming. “I have a couple things. We need to get to work.”

He looked at her hair. “You might want to flatten that a little bit first.”

She touched it and felt how huge the flight had made it. “Right. Thanks Merlin,” she said.

“Got you home didn’t I?” Merlin was looking at Eggsy. “I need you.”

“I’m here,” Eggsy replied.

“Good,” Merlin replied and transformed back and flew into the sky. Eggsy ran at the small concrete block that had been put in the garden and used it to jump up and a small golden bullet was chasing after Merlin in the sky.

“Is he well?” Percival asked Roxy.

Roxy shook her head. “He had to...well, hopefully the boy is at peace now.” Percival gave her a quick hug. “We were guessing wrong. All our work, it was the wrong angle. It isn’t freeing people from who they are. It is freeing them for.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It isn’t like what his mum did. It isn’t trying to kill that part of them. It is mundane’s trying to release whatever is inside of them. Reclaim what has been lost.” Roxy held up the bottle that maybe had five drops of liquid in it. “We have to start are work all over.”

“You shower, and then we will begin.” They went into the estate wanting to solve the mystery, Merlin and Eggsy chasing each other in the sky above.


	16. Chapter 16

“Eggsy,” Merlin said calmly. He stood in the gym door and held himself casually, trying to be completely chill, hoping it would rub off on Eggsy.

Eggsy roared and tried to turn around and broke more equipment. He whimpered when the weight rack fell on his talons.

“We were sparring and I got in an unexpected hit,” Roxy shouted from the corner she had ended up stuck in. “And boom, dragon in the gym. Really glad he is as tiny as he is, otherwise we’d be dealing with a hole in the wall.” 

Eggsy grumbled and blew a little smoke and tried to stay very still. His tail knocked over some mats. Merlin tried not to laugh at the poor lad. He went into the room a little bit more. “Roxy, climb over him,” Merlin said.

“Gee why didn’t I think of that?” Roxy yelled. “Oh right, he wouldn’t stay still!”

Merlin went and climbed over fall equipment until he was right in front of Eggsy. He lay a hand on Eggsy’s snout. He stared at Eggsy who managed to look so embarrassed. Merlin kissed the snout gently. “Stay still so Roxy can climb over ye, okay?”

Eggsy pressed his snout into Merlin’s stomach and went very still. Roxy climbed over him and made it to the door.

“I’ll just uh...lock this on my way out yeah?” Roxy said but dragon and man were ignoring her. Roxy went out, locking the door. She also cast a do not disturb message to hang in front before heading to the kitchens for a post workout snack.

Merlin kept rubbing Eggsy’s snout. “Scary isn’t it? When you transform without meaning to.”

Eggsy gave a small nod and his eyes were wet. 

“And bet it scared you even more because you were worried you would hurt Roxy, hmm?” Merlin smiled at the smoke that blew against his stomach. “And then you were so worried and panicked ye couldn’t change back?” Merlin rubbed under Eggsy’s chin and tried not to laugh when it caused him to wag his tail. His dragon was a puppy. “Now then, breath with me, just nice and slow in and out, okay Eggsy?”

Eggsy shook his head and pulled away from Merlin and curled into as small of a ball as he could. Merlin was surprised but sat on the ground ready to wait. 

“Would ye like to know a tale of when I fucked up a transformation?” Merlin asked. Eggsy tried to pretend he wasn’t interested but one eye could just be seen from under a wing where he was trying to hide.

“As ye know from the other week, sometimes Roxy and I go out alone. She technically ran missions for us before she was a Kingsman. Chester, may he be burning in the fires of hell, of course didn’t know. But having a young and pretty witch out and about could be useful. She was...19 I think? We had to go to a club. She was to look out for a good time, and I was supposed to look like a menacing guard for the posh and flirty girl. She made contact and they danced.” 

Eggsy grumbled at him and Merlin had to laugh.

“Yes, it would sound familiar to you, wouldn’t it? Percival doesn’t like that Roxy gets used such, but it honestly doesn’t bother her. We are always clear it is her choice. She views her boobs as a weapon just like her rock fist. And she only does honey pots with men.” That got Eggsy’s head full up. “She personally likes women. So she’ll throw down with a guy for work because they don’t matter. But to the point. This man grabbed her on the dance floor in a way that was disturbing. And I didn’t think. I didn’t go and remove his hand, I didn’t let Roxy who had been training for years take care of it. No I turned into a dragon inside the club.”

Eggsy did that thing where you knew a dragon was laughing at him.

“Aye, full dragon, injuring 40, stuck between two pillars while goddamn shitty dance music and strobe lights were on. Do ye know how much magic Roxy and Percival and the three witches had to do to fix that mess?” Merlin pointed to his shoulder. “Where that scar comes from. Disco ball fell on me.”

In a blink Eggsy was human again. “You said it was from a shift born attacking you as a tiger!”

“Well I’m hardly going to tell the dragon I’m courting my manliest scar is from a bloody disco ball, am I?” Merlin grumbled.

Eggsy was laughing. “A disco ball. A fucking disco ball.” He was bent in laugh he was laughing so hard. Then it cut off abruptly. “Wait, did you just say courting?”

“Aye,” Merlin agreed.

“We have post dragon shags. We aren’t courting,” Eggsy said. “Who the fuck courts in the 21st century? I mean beside Harry and Percival’s thing.” Eggsy frowned. “Like seriously what is up with them?”

“I am sure I don’t know,” Merlin said stiffly. He got up off the ground. “Glad ye are back to human. Learn better control.” He started to walk out.

“Roxy said the place is locked up, we could have our fun here, don’t need to go down to the rooms,” Eggsy called after him.

“Fuck your own hand,” Merlin replied and walked out.

“But yours are better,” Eggsy whined. Merlin didn’t return though and Eggsy went to take care of himself. He thought maybe he said something wrong. And when they didn’t eat together, he was pretty sure he did. Then when there was no night time flight together he was sure of it.

Crap.

******************************************

“Hey Percy?” Eggsy knocked on the door.

“He’s down in medical,” Roxy said opening it. Her cauldron was steaming. “Can I help?”

“You good at relationship advice?”

“No one here is,” she answered immediately.

“Yup, but he actually got his man, so he’s the best we got.”

“Medical, Room 4,” she said. Whatever was in her cauldron began to sing. “Gotta go.” She slammed the door shut.

Eggsy went to the medical wing and found the room. He walked in right when Percival was putting intestines in a bowl. “Oh fucking hell,” he groaned. 

Percival looked up at him. “Excellent put on gloves and a coat.”

“Nope,” Eggsy said.

“Vintage doc martens,” Percival said. “Oxblood, ten holes.”

Eggsy tried not to be intrigued. “Nope.”

“Toes a little worn down, one grommet missing.” 

Oh that sounded neat, dammit. “Fine,” Eggsy said and put the protective clothes on. He went over and was handed a liver. “Ewwww, you are the worst. You bring Harry in here for a date?”

Percival smiled as he got to the pancreas. “Hello pretty. And no, we went to a museum last date. He wore a quite fetching suit. The waistcoat made his waist look so trim.” Percival walked over to the counter. “Be a dear and put that liver on the scales, tell me what it weighs.”

Eggsy took it over and almost threw up at the sound it made as it hit the bowl. He read the number to Percival and he couldn’t stop himself. He poked it. “Shit, it is oozing. Percival why is it oozing? It’s oozing blue. PERCIVAL BLUE OOZE!”

Percival hurried over and cast quickly but the liver was completely eaten away, just a pile of ooze that was indeed blue left. “Interesting,” he murmured. 

“No. No it isn’t,” Eggsy said. He stripped off the protective gear and started to wash his hands. “Bruv, you are sick.”

Percival looked at him. “No, Eggsy. These people are very very sick, and it is deliberate.”

Eggsy paused in his scrubbing. “Wot?”

“This is another victim of that poison. Hint of fae born in their blood,” Percival explained. “They went mad, Harry killed them. On that date actually. We were able to bring the whole body back for once for me to research. Whatever they are taking, whatever they think it is doing - it isn’t. There are two options. All these people are test cases, lab rats to perfect the drug. Or -” Percival took a little of the blue ooze and put it in a slide. “Or it is deliberate. They know they are killing these people.”

“That’s not right,” Eggsy looked at the body. She was young. She should be in her uni classes, bitching about all the reading. “We need to stop it.”

“We are trying but we aren’t getting very far yet. But we will.” Percival waved his hands and Eggsy watched as the body was sewn back up and a sheet draped over. “Now then, what did you need?”

“Is Merlin courting me?” Eggsy asked.

“Yes,” Percival answered. “Was that all?”

“But we’re fuck buddies. And dragon pals.”

“You accepted his courting offer," Percival said. “Unless I imagined it and his favourite shoes aren’t now in your collection.”

“Bastian?”

“Huh, shoes are named to,” Percival said. “Interesting.” He sat on a stool. “Now then. Let me guess. Merlin mentioned courting. You responded like an idiot, and now he is offended, even though you are half his age and due to it being 2016 think courting is an outmoded practice, even if you have accidentally taken steps of a courting nature.”

“Yup, that’s about it.” Eggsy grabbed another stool and wheeled over to Percival. “So like...full bone born still do old fashioned shit?”

“Kingsman still do old fashioned shit,” Percival responded. He watched Eggsy. “Something is wrong.”

“He ain’t courting me.”

“How do you figure? He looks at you like you hold the answers to the universe.”

“I ain’t completely dumb about tradition,” Eggsy replied. “If he were courting, he’d offer. We don’t offer we just take.” He stood up. “Thanks. Never ask me to help with a dead body again.”

“Sorry, join the team, get used to corpses. Plus side, it was a woman. Wait until you have to deal with a dead man boner.”

“The glee you say that with is just wrong.”

“If you can’t laugh, what’s the point?” Percival smiled and Eggsy tilted his head. 

“That smile there is what sunk Harry on you innit?”

Percival blushed a little. “I really couldn’t say. But we are both men who enjoy our jobs.”

“I used to have normal friends.”

“Hmmm, I wish I remembered what that was like.”

“No you don’t.”

“No, I really don’t.” Percival turned to his work. “And Eggsy, you could try talking to Merlin.” Eggsy wasn’t going to reply to that. “Or try fucking him not after transformation.”

That got Eggsy’s attention. “Huh?”

“Well, if you want this done by 21st century play book, maybe show him you are interested in him outside his dragon.”

“He knows that.” Percival was quiet. “He has to know that.” Eggsy paused. “Mother fucker.” He stormed out of the room. 

Percival cast a preserving spell on the pancreas and began to study the blue ooze.

**********************************************

Eggsy found Merlin outside.

“Fly?” Merlin asked ready to jump into the air.

“No,” Eggsy said quickly. “Wait.” Merlin looked downright confused. “Oh bugger, Percival was right.”

“He often is, but I don’t understand.”

“I like you,” Eggsy said.

“I like you too,” Merlin replied.

“No. I like you,” Eggsy repeated. He moved his hands from behind his back and one hand had a switchblade and the other a pair of shoes from Eggsy’s hoard. He tried to hand them to Merlin, who just stared dumbfounded. “See offering? That’s how this courting crap is actually supposed to go. Not just stealing my dinner knives.”

Merlin took the items when Eggsy slammed them into his chest. “Thank you,” he said. He clutched them tightly. 

“Also, maybe we could go out, for like a coffee and dinner, and then come home and fuck?”

Merlin blinked. “What?”

“I want you all the time. Don’t think made that clear. Not that you have either. But sure post dragon I’m horny as fuck, and all that, but I’m ready to throw down with you like 24/7.” Eggsy shrugged. “So you know, maybe we should try that?”

Merlin laughed at the absurdity of themselves. “I’m old, Eggsy, I’m ready to throw down like 18/5.”

“Still a pretty solid number there.” Eggsy grinned. “Now we can fly, if you want. Just had to say that.”

Merlin looked at what was in his hands. “I have an affection for rom com movies and have a bunch downloaded on my laptop. We could grab snacks from the kitchen and then watch them?”

“Yeah. We could do that too,” Eggsy agreed. They walked back into the house as close as they could.


	17. Art Interlude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> please enjoy my photo edit and Pemberley-Press's art of dragon merlin and eggsy before we get into the second half of the story.

 


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is a short chapter because it fully transitions us into the second half of the story.

Roxy adjusted her skirt as she walked out of Kingsman Tailors and checked her purse. She was looking forward to a night on the town. They had been working night and day trying to solve the problem of these mutations, but just weren’t getting anywhere. Everyone was frustrated. Her uncle had actually frowned at her today, which he never did. They all needed to blow off some steam. Merlin was teaching Eggsy flying formation and Percival and Harry had gone to the range. She was going to find a pretty girl to fuck.

“Hello, Roxy,” Charlie said.

Roxy looked up. “Charlie? How the fuck are you still alive?” Bugger, she wasn’t wearing her Kingsman glasses. She opened her purse.

“Roxy, getting the glasses? Don’t tell me a Kingsman needs back up?” Charlie smiled. “After all, aren’t you the best?” 

“Yeah, I fucking am,” she agreed and tossed a spell at him that in training had knocked him down. He flinched but didn’t fall. Bastard had bulked up in the almost 2 years since V-day. Roxy wrenched open the taxi door. “Timothy, drive,” she shouted and he revved the car but Charlie swung in before they could get away.

It was an ugly fight due to the confines of the car, due to Charlie now having a fucking metal arm that delivered punches that she was sure were cracking ribs. She managed to cast rock fist and it was satisfying to break his nose. Timothy drove them around the city, taking fast corners and impossible risks and Roxy was trying her best to destroy Charlie.

Timothy took a fast corner and Roxy cast Rock fist on her feet and twisted and kicked hard. The door swung open and Charlie went with it. She did another kick at where the prosthetic would be attached and Charlie went flying out, the arm dangling from the roof of the car.

Roxy reached out and closed the door. “Change of plan, take me to the estate. So much for finding that pretty girl.”

“Of course miss, are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Roxy said. “But what the fuck was that about?” She looked through the blown out rear window and Charlie was just waving to her. “Twat!” she yelled out to him. Bastard shoulda stayed dead.

*********************************

“So, this Charlie bloke was a candidate when Rox was?” Eggsy asked the group.

“Hmmm, Chester’s pick, so you know it was shit,” Harry answered.

“You lot hate that guy so much,” Eggsy said. “Like really hate him.”

“He sold out the Kingsman ideals, and was generally a snob and poor judge of character,” Percival said. He was reading some notes he had made, trying to put it all together. He was so close but something kept evading him. He smiled when Harry’s hand brushed his shoulder.

They were all having dinner together, the others having lasagna and Eggsy had spaghetti. The staff still wasn’t trusting him with knives. 

Merlin looked at Harry and bit into some garlic bread. Harry dropped his fangs and stuck out his tongue, and sipped his blood. 

“You know I’ve been researching blood enriched food,” Percival said. “I think I found a quality blood red sauce, I’ll have to try making it for you.”

“Awwww,” Eggsy and Roxy said in unison. 

“But why not kill Roxy?” Merlin said aloud the thing that was bothering him. “Sure she has protections she carries but a bullet to the head and it is done.”

“Not really,” Harry pointed out. “Valentine shot me in the head, and I’m still here.”

“Apex blood born you are like 1000 years of top of the food chain,” Merlin commented. “Ye are only a little less hardy than I am. Plus he was a shitty shot and it slowed enough on your glasses that when we got to you from our cover spot, Percival magicked the shit out of you.”

“I grew you that new eyeball,” Roxy said cheerfully. She looked at Eggsy, “If he blinks quickly three times it can act as a homing device.”

“Awesome,” Eggsy agreed. “Merlin do not flick that garlic bread at Harry.” He snatched the piece out of Merlin’s hand. The tensions over the case meant the two were acting like children. Harry had stolen a few axes from Merlin’s hoard. “But he was stronger now, you said.”

“Yes, he had bulked up a fair bit, and Merlin is right. I wouldn’t have survived a bullet to the head from that close. I'm the best damn moon born there is, family line is as old as Harry's or almost. But bottom line witches are the weakest physically. So why didn’t he?”

“The three witches are studying the arm ye stole off of him, I’m sure that they’ll have answers soon enough,” Merlin replied. “Eggsy shall we go -”

The comms opened to the whole building. “INCOMING. INCOMING TO THE -” The comms screeched off and all power went out in the building.

“Eggsy, transform!” Merlin shouted.

“Wot?” Eggsy panicked and looked around. Through the windows they could see a streak in the sky. Percival moved next to Harry and began to cast a protective spell on the whole estate, Roxy worked on covering the three of them. 

Eggsy couldn’t stop staring at the streak coming towards them.

Someone was sending a rocket at them.

Merlin roared and transformed and as the rocket hit the building, tried his best to cover his friends and mate. 

And then it was all black.


	19. Chapter 19

“Babe, wake up,” Eggsy kept saying. He had been saying it for days. He had barely left Merlin’s side, only for showers and when someone bullied him into a nap. “Why won’t he wake up?” he asked Percival for the 90th time.

“Eggsy,” Percival was patient, they all were. “He took a rocket to the spine. We’re doing everything we can but you know even for a bone born as strong as him, that will take a while to recover from.” Percival had so few resources where they were hiding, but was doing what he could. They didn’t dare call a doctor or witch. Harry and Roxy had gone out to see what they could get, Roxy casting spells to make their appearance different. “He’ll wake up.”

“It’s my fault,” Eggsy said softly, something that had also been said many times. “If I had transformed too, he wouldn’t have to have spread out so much to protect the three of us.”

“And if my spell casting was stronger, I would have been able to better protect the estate. I’ve spent too long focusing on science and blending the two, it has made my casting skills weaker.”

Eggsy hugged Percival. “You are the best fucking witch ever. And your gross out science is helping him.” Eggsy sighed. “Any word?”

“Those who lived have all gone to ground. Everyone has an off books hideaway, they won’t be found, but we’ll be able to contact them if we need the back up.”

“How many?”

“Not enough,” Percival said sadly. “It was a magic laced rocket, and only those at the back of the estate made it. 3 agents and a handful of support staff. We lost the three witches that will be heavy blow.”

“What are we going to do without our eyes?”

“I don’t know,” Percival said. “They should have been back by now.”

“You expecting Harry to stick to a time table?”

“Fair point,” Percival agreed. He cast some more healing into Merlin and checked his pulse, bp, and pried open an eyelid and shone a light in.

“Oi you bastard, I’m trying to sleep,” Merlin slurred.

“Sure wake up for him, but not any of the million times I’ve asked you too,” Eggsy pouted.

Merlin rolled his head and looked at Eggsy. “Hi,” he whispered.

Eggsy crawled onto the bed. “Hi,” he wrapped himself so gently around Merlin and let a tiny bit of smoke out of his nose. “Hi.”

Merlin fell back asleep and Eggsy slid into a nap as well. Percival covered them with a blanket and went outside. It was chilly so far north and they didn’t exactly have a lot with them. He tossed a small ball of fire into the air and let it warm him.

Now that Merlin was coming to, they could start planning. Charlie was their easiest lead, but he would take some work to track down and most of their resources were gone. It would be a problem. But he was very good at finding solutions. He heard a car and grew the fire ball, ready to throw it, but when it came around the bend he saw it was Roxy and Harry. He let them pull up and get out. “Merlin woke briefly.”

Harry visibly slumped in relief. “Good, he was lazing about too much,” he said. “Has he realized?”

“No, not yet, the magic is blocking any pain or sensation. Next time he awakens I am guessing,” Percival said. “Luck?”

“Some,” Roxy agreed. “We took a chance, Harry’s idea,” she said swiftly at the look on her uncle’s face. “We used a coin and went back to the estate.”

“Goddammit!” Percival shouted and threw the fire ball as hard as he could and called it back before it could damage the forest around them. He dissipated it and glared at them. “That was a foolish risk.”

“Where else would we get some of the supplies we needed?” Harry countered. He was going to yell back and just shrugged. “And maybe we had missed survivors.”

“Did we?”

Harry shook his head. “But we have a boot full of some very useful items.” He took Percival around. “It is a bit hodgepodge, but still.” There were a few guns, a few potions that hadn’t broken, a couple artifacts and a bit of Merlin’s hoard. And one of Eggsy’s shoes.

“It isn’t much,” Roxy admitted. “We also stopped at the grocer and got food and blood. And a few more medical supplies.”

“It’s more than we had before,” Percival said. “Roxy go keep an eye on Merlin and Eggsy? Harry and I will bring all this in.”

“Sure,” Roxy understood they needed a moment.

The two men stared at each other. 

“It was fine, it was a risk yes, but a calculated one, and she and I are rather strong and skilled.”

“Merlin is rather strong and skilled, and look what happened to him!”

“And you have helped him,” Harry replied.

“I can’t fix him. And I can’t fix you if you aren’t here for me to fix. What if -” Percival shook his head. “We wouldn’t have known where to look for you. We would have been left with no clue what had happened.”

“And if Roxy and I told you our idea before hand -”

“I would have given you this,” Percival said pulling a charm out of his shirt. “A protection ward!”

Harry paused. “You wouldn’t have argued against?”

“What you brought back will keep us alive, will help us plan. It was a logical thing to do and I could have sent you better prepared.”

“You always surprise me,” Harry said.

“We don’t have the luxury of you going off all Harry Hart right now. We function as a team or I swear I will chain you to a wall in metal even you can’t break through,” Percival warned. He went over and cupped Harry’s face and kissed him desperately. “I cannot survive whatever is next without you.”

Harry pulled back and looked at Percival. “I’m here. I promise I’ll be right here.” He gave a gentle kiss and wrapped Percival into a deep hug. “I’ll be as careful as I can.”

“No,” Percival said into his suit. “You’ll be as careful as an average agent would be.”

“But I am so very far above average,” Harry replied and found himself squeezed incredibly tight. “I will be careful,” he promised.

Percival nodded and stepped back and in a moment was his calm, practical self. “We need to get the supplies inside. Merlin and Eggsy will be comforted by the small bit of hoard.”

“We’ll make it through.”

Percival didn’t answer just began gathering items and they brought them inside.

****************************************************

“Merlin, say something?” Eggsy begged.

Merlin kept staring at his feet and legs. Where there had once been skin and bone now there was something else entirely. “Did ye make them fucking glass? Where the fuck are my legs?” He touched and it was solid and warm and he could sort of feel it, like the legs were asleep. There was a press and tingle. In a flash he grabbed the dagger from the night table and rammed it through a leg and pulled it out. It had felt like a tickle and the wound healed almost instantly.

“Fuck, Percival, you do baller magic,” Eggsy said in awe.

“The rocket hit your low back,” Roxy explained, “and it pushed you down. You landed poorly and there was sort of an after magic fallout from the rocket, and it poured down you. Your back was strong enough hide to not be damaged but your legs had splayed out and the limbs are the weakest part of your dragon and just...ate away at them. I managed to cast enough protection that it took only the lower legs.” Roxy was trying not to cry. “I’m sorry I couldn’t save them.”

“She protected what she could and I was able to pull from your brain the memory of your limbs, use the phantom pain, and those memories and form those,” Percival explained. “It was magic I had seen in the army but had never performed. I need access to certain ingredients to make them last without me low level casting on you all the time.”

“Well go to the lab then,” Merlin said.

“What lab?” Percival asked.

“The one I have here for you and Roxy,” Merlin said. He tried to wiggle the toes and watched the whole foot move. “How did ye even know to come here. How did you get here?”

“That would be me, you told me about this place when drunk a couple decades ago. We stole a car and drove here,” Harry explained. “But there is not lab.”

“Been here over a week and no one explored, what use are you?” Merlin tried to stand on the magic legs and fell down. He cursed from the ground and would only let Eggsy help him up. “They are numb,” he said.

“I know,” Percival was fretting. “I need -”

“Shut up,” Merlin said. “Eggsy can ye give me a piggy back?”

“Yeah, babe,” Eggsy agreed. He put Merlin on his back and Roxy quickly cast to make the load easier to carry. Merlin directed them through the keep. From the outside it looked like a crumbled and forgotten castle. His family had bought the charm two centuries ago and it worked well. He led them downstairs to the kitchen. “There, Harry, take that medium cast iron pot off the hook.”

Harry did and looked at the hook and twisted it to see if a door would appear.

“Now Percival, crack some eggs into it.”

“How will that make a hidden room appear?” he asked.

“It won’t but I’m fucking starving.”

Eggsy couldn’t stop the laugh that came out and had to hitch Merlin back up a little bit. The other three were not amused.

“Fine,” Merlin sighed and went to the wall by the light switch. He flicked it four times and a small panel appeared. He touched his palm to it and a door opened. “Go on,” he waved everyone.

“Oh, hello sexy,” Roxy crooned when she saw the space. It was almost a replica of their work room at the estate. “It’s almost like this was made for us.”

“It was,” Merlin said. “Made it for you two four years ago, replenish and refresh the supplies every six months, just to be safe.”

“That cabinet isn’t in our work room,” Percival said.

“That is for Harry,” Merlin explained. He tapped Eggsy and pointed to a chair. Eggsy took him over and set him down. “Enjoy.”

Harry opened it and smiled. “Aww, you shouldn’t have,” he said. He stared at the guns and gadgets and the bottles of blood. “Beautiful.”

Percival poked about and then looked at Merlin holding up a beautiful brain scanner. “This went missing and I had to make that Frankenstein one I’ve been using on Eggsy.” Merlin shrugged unrepentant. Percival jammed it on his head and started scanning. He watched and Roxy got a cauldron brewing.

Eggsy held Merlin’s hand tight. Harry began maintenance on the weapons. 

“Think of being a dragon but don’t transform,” Percival told Merlin and hummed and made some notes. He walked over to Roxy and Roxy looked at the scans and went through the cupboards and added some items to the cauldron.

“I need some of your blood, Merlin,” Percival said.

Merlin held out an arm and he drew some carefully and added it to the cauldron. He then ended the scan and he and Roxy truly got to work. They were casting and mixing and Eggsy had watched them work before but this was something else entirely. There were pouring themselves into and for a moment both of them went almost translucent in their effort. Eventually, and Eggsy had no idea if it was minutes or hours, he just knew it had been long enough that Harry had stripped and reassembled all the guns, Percival handed Merlin a potion.

“Drink it all in one go and don’t choke,” he said. He began to cast and Roxy was rubbing more of it onto those odd looking legs. Merlin drank it all, though it was clearly difficult. The whole room went cold around them, it felt like the world was shivering.

Eggsy watched. The legs stayed clear like glass or resin, but he could see etched lines, almost veins appear and where the toes had been fused like a Ken doll, now they moved. Merlin tossed the cup away and with a nod from Percival he stood.

“I can feel them,” Merlin said. He walked carefully, stilted a bit. “They are less responsive but I can feel them.” His steps grew surer. Roxy went back to the cauldron and cast some more and what was left solidified and became pills.

“One a day and your body shouldn’t reject them,” Roxy said. “The big question is will they transform with you.”

“Only one way to find out.” Merlin slowly went upstairs all the way to the roof. Eggsy went with him. “Eggsy,” he said softly, a little scared.

“We jump together,” Eggsy said and gripped his hand tight.

They leapt and transformed.

Eggsy roared and flew circles around Merlin who flapped steadily in the sky. In dragon form the legs were bronze and shone in the sun. Eggsy thought they looked rather brilliant, almost like armour. They went to the ground and Eggsy bumped his snout against Merlin’s before they changed back.

Percival came running over with the helmet. “Let me just -” he began.

“No,” they both said and moved quickly to a bedroom. 

“Bloody dragons,” Percival muttered.

 

That night over dinner they sat at the table and picked at the food. Harry had barely had half a bottle of blood.

“What do we do?” Roxy asked.

“I vote we find who did this to us and kill the lot of them,” Harry said. “But...I don’t know how.”

“We find that Charlie fucker right?” Eggsy said.

“Yes, but how? Merlin has us well set here for our personal work but that isn’t enough resources to find someone.” Percival was tapping his foot, anxious. “I...do you think this attack and what we were looking into might be connected? Why would Charlie do this now?”

They all pause to think about it, it makes a certain sense.

“I use to wander the estate,” Merlin said. “Restless after missions, after flights. One night I was bored and angry because Chester denied us some resources. So maybe I broke into his office.”

“Of course you did, everyone had as some point, but there was never much to find,” Harry said.

“No one was looking in the right space. They expected things to be hidden but they were right there.”

“Purloined letter,” Eggsy said. “Hide it plain sight.”

“A bottle of whisky, never drunk, but never moved,” Merlin said. “Chester hated whisky, hated it. Why would he let it stay out? It was nae his aesthetic, not his taste, it was useless. Chester only ever liked things that were useful.”

“How is that a lead?” Roxy asked.

“Because it is all we have,” Merlin replied.

“It’s nothing, less than nothing.”

“Hell, it gets us out of the UK, seems like a good idea to me,” Eggsy said. 

Harry looked at Merlin. “You sure about this?”

“Not at all,” Merlin answered. “But it beats just sitting here.”

Percival just shrugged. “So where are we going?”

“Statesmen,” Merlin said. “The bottle said Statesmen made in Kentucky.”

“I really hate Kentucky,” Harry groaned.

“Always wanted to go to America, hear Levi’s are dead cheap there,” Eggsy responded. “And we stay here we might just be dead dead.”

“Weee, America,” Roxy said. “I’ll work up five disguise potions. Someone get us tickets on a damn boat.”


	20. Chapter 20

They all walked on the boat in disguise and with fake names and passports but stated their born status, to lie about that was too dangerous for the other passengers as well as themselves. A steward lead them to their suite and took his leave. Merlin looked around the rooms and glared at Harry.

“We are supposed to be subtle.”

“And I was not cooping up two dragons into the bowels of the ship. Balcony for you two to hop off and fly. A bar in a lovely communal area, three bedrooms and a gorgeous bathroom. We don’t have to socialize very much which would be inevitable if we were in those spaces they laughably call interior rooms.” Harry was working himself up. “You get claustrophobia and I do not want you dragoning out mid-ship.”

Percival went over and squeezed Harry’s hand. “This is a good space, darling. And I think you made the right call.”

“Thank you.” Harry nodded. “The room at the end with the step out balcony is for Merlin and Eggsy. I’ll take the smallest room and Roxy and you can share the second biggest.”

“I see, of course if that is what you want,” Percival agreed.

Harry looked at him confused.

Roxy rolled her eyes. “How about I take the smallest space. Percy needs space to stretch.”

“I would enjoy your company,” Harry said softly.

“This is nae a pleasure cruise, this is about us heading towards answers and saving people. Dicks away,” Merlin snarled and grabbed his bag and went in the directions of the bedroom.

Everyone turned to look at Eggsy. “Yeah, I know. He’s been an arse the last few days.”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

“Oi he lost his legs, pretty sure he’s allowed to be fucked up,” Eggsy pointed out.

“We need the few days of this journey to centre ourselves,” Percival said. “We need to go into whatever comes next as strong as possible. While we gain strength from each other, we have been in close quarters the last few days and some space would be good.”

Harry kissed his cheek. “We’re stuck on a boat, dear.”

“Metaphorical space.”

“I agree, I’m off to check out the pretty ladies, see you later,” Roxy said and stripped off her top showing a bikini top underneath. She walked out with a wave.

“She’s got a good idea,” Eggsy muttered.

Harry’s fangs dropped. “You are thinking of looking for a pretty lady?”

“No, I’m thinking of shagging my mate,” Eggsy said. “See ya.” He went in the direction Merlin had.

“I don’t see how sex will solved all our problems,” Harry huffed. He picked up his bag and walked down the hall and saw Eggsy slam a door shut. “Can you?” 

Percival cast a silence spell over Merlin and Eggsy’s room and he and Harry went into the other bedroom. It was an attractive space with a large bed. No windows but that was rather perfect for Harry. He put the luggage down and unpacked sorting all their clothes. Percival was happy to let him fuss. “Harry do you know what my name is?” Percival asked curious.

Harry paused. “I do,” he said after a moment.

“Do you?” He went over and took the socks out of Harry’s hands. He cupped Harry’s face and kissed him. “You have never said it.”

“I call you Percival quite regularly.”

“You do, but that rather supports my belief you don’t actually know my name.” He kissed Harry again. Felt the man sag just a little against him. Percival was happy to bear the weight.

“Percival,” Harry whispered.

“Say it, Harry,” Percival requested.

“Alistair,” Harry lead the kiss this time. “You always taste sweet. I mean you taste like mouth, but it is always a bit sweet.”

“Experimental potion when I was fifteen. Permanent after effects, all food I eat ends up tasting a little sweet, it can be disturbing.” They stood there luggage half unpacked, exchanging soft kisses, wrapped in a tight hug.

“I am a little tired,” Harry said when they were just leaning against each other.

“You’ve been standing watch too long,” Percival said.

“Had to keep you safe.”

“I can do that myself.”

“Safer then,” Harry said. “Lie down with me?”

“I would like that.” Percival stripped down to vest and pants and Harry did the same. Percival turned on the lamp in the corner and off the overhead lights. He crawled into the bed and held open the covers for Harry. Harry lay next to him, kept a little bit of space.

“Roxy is going to shag at least three women,” Harry said.

“Oh I am betting at least six,” Percival countered. “She is feeling very pent up.”

“Merlin and Eggsy will be all we’re dragons and we are called bone born in reality for all the boners we get.”

Percival laughed. “You said boners.”

“What will we be doing?” Harry asked.

Percival reached out and stroked Harry’s hair. “What would you like us to be doing?” His smile was incredibly fond as Harry moved closer until their heads were almost on the same pillow.

“More kisses,” Harry said. He moved himself just a little down so he could snuggle into Percival. “I like this,” he added softly. “I mean I have a feeling sustained it would be uncomfortable, but right now it is good.”

“It is very good,” Percival agreed.

“I find you beautiful and sexy and I get a bit hard when I think of you, but I don’t know what to do about that, if I want to do anything about that.”

“You don’t have to do anything about it,” Percival said softly. “Right now kisses and snuggles are great. We want more, we’ll do more.”

“Do you like more?”

“I do, very much. But shower wanks are a wonderful thing.”

“Oh, I think that could be interesting to watch,” Harry commented.

“After the nap, you need rest,” Percival said. He flicked his hand and the lamp went off. Another flick and there were soft swirling colours moving over the ceiling. Harry watched them until his drifted off.

*******************************************

Roxy was leaning at the bar and saw a pretty shift born who had her ears almost like a cat’s. She licked her lips and smiled. She got two martinis from the bar and went on over.

*******************************************

“Something is wrong,” Eggsy said looking about the room.

“Percival cast a dampening spell on the room.”

“We’re going to be on the ocean why do we need it more damp than it’s going to be?” Eggsy asked. Merlin looked at him and Eggsy thought about it. “Right, that was not said, just so we are clear. Noise cancelling. Got it. Guess they figure we’ll be shagging a lot.”

“Plus Harry thinks I snore, hates the sound of it.”

“Well, you do,” Eggsy said, “but it is a cute snore, like a puppy. Sometimes bit of smoke comes out too.” 

Merlin glared at him and went out onto the balcony. The ship was readying to pull away. He sat on one of the chairs. Eggsy followed and sat next to him. He quietly handed Merlin his pill and Merlin swallowed it.

“You should tell Percival,” Eggsy said.

“It doesn’t hurt hurt,” Merlin replied. He watched the dock as they moved away. “And we have enough problems ahead.”

“Exactly, ahead,” Eggsy replied. “Now is the time to tell him about any problems.”

“Feels funny, isn’t a problem, I can’t even explain it.”

Eggsy got off his chair and sank onto the floor in front of Merlin. Merlin tried to smirk. “Planning to make me feel a different sort of funny, lad?”

Eggsy ignored that and pulled off Merlin’s shoes and socks. He carefully rolled the trousers up and put both feet in his lap. “This little piggy went to market,” he said and touched the big toes. He wiggled. “Can you feel him going to market?”

“Aye,” Merlin agreed.

“Close your eyes,” Eggsy said. “This piggie wanted roast beef. How’s that?”

Merlin reluctantly shook his head no. Eggsy touched each toe and the middle were mostly dead, just the big and pinkie felt things. The arch was sensitive to tickles just as it had been when it was flesh and bone, but the heel felt nothing. Eggsy massaged up the clear calves and Merlin felt more as it reached to where it was fused with skin. The few closest centimeters were almost unbearably sensitive.

“You should tell him about the unevenness of feeling,” Eggsy said. He maybe kept massaging the sensitive parts, enjoying how squirmy Merlin was.

“I can walk and run. I can fly, to complain when given such a gift would be rude,” Merlin answered. He hauled Eggsy up and into his lap, pressing him down onto his hard length. “This is a very private balcony.”

Eggsy wrapped his arms around Merlin’s neck. “Orgasms won’t make me forget this you know.”

“Well let me try,” Merlin said and pulled Eggsy into a hard kiss.

*************************************************

Merlin was lying down on his bed and sighed. “So much for the sacred trust of my mate.”

Percival pinched his thigh. “You mean the man who is determined to see you in the best possible health? Yes just dreadful of him to tell me, what you should have.” He slapped the helmet on Merlin’s head. “Now flex your feet.” He waited and Merlin did nothing. “Merlin?” He sat down on the bed and waited. He stared at the brain scan, which was showing him everything he needed to know, but he wanted Merlin to say it.

“I hate them,” Merlin said finally.

“Is there something in particular?” Percival asked watching the brain scan.

“I hate them being clear,” Merlin admitted. “I had a bath a few days ago, and in the water I couldn’t see them at all and for a second thought they were gone, and that I was stuck and would have to crawl out. I thought I was trapped. You know how well I do with that.”

“What about the numbness and sensitivity?”

“I do nae hate it as much as Eggsy thinks. He is a worrier.” Merlin’s brain lit up when talking about Eggsy. “I am awe that ye did this, it is a small thing to be upset about.”

“Merlin you went through trauma -” Percival began.

“But I am alive,” Merlin cut him off. “This job, that is better than some.”

Percival didn’t press he wouldn’t get anywhere. “Eggsy cease your hovering and come in.” He took the helmet off of Merlin and waited. 

“Hey,” Eggsy said, sheepish when he came in.

“Sit and hold Merlin’s hand and touch one of the legs,” Percival said. “Merlin touch the other.” He nodded and adjusted them a bit and then covered the hands on the legs with his own. “Both of you think of the most perfect colour ever. Think of it and nothing else.” He began to cast, a soft chant. “Focus on that colour, it is the whole world for you.” Slowly the clear of the legs became saturated, pale and then deepening. Percival was sweating by the end.

“Well that is a look,” Percival said. “But it definitely isn’t clear.”

Everyone was staring at the legs. “I thought of your scales,” Eggsy and Merlin said at the same time.

“Clearly,” Percival said. Where the legs had been clear, now they were the colour of Merlin’s scales. But wrapped around in swirls that were almost celtic knots but not quite was the golden hue of Eggsy. “It’s beautiful,” Percival adds. He sees the way Eggsy and Merlin are staring at them. “I’ll leave you be.”

They both nod and as Percival leaves, he makes sure to add another dampening spell to the room.

*************************************

“I am kind of digging the boat trip,” Eggsy said up on deck with Roxy. “I mean I know we are running for our lives, but I made a hundred quid at the casino last night.” Roxy was ignoring him. “Oi, Rox,” he complained.

Roxy was smiling at a girl who was playing solitaire, glasses slipping down her nose. “Hmm?”

“You gonna fuck the whole ship?” Eggsy asked.

“Don’t see me riding your stick, do you?” 

“True, need any wingman help?” Eggsy grinned. “Want me to be a douche canoe who hits on a girl and you can rescue her?”

Roxy tipped her sunglasses down and then stood up and stretched. Eggsy admired the lines of her body. “Darling, I don’t need any help.”

“No you don’t,” he agreed. He heard a noise and looked over. “Yes the make your own sundae bar is back. Make sexy choices!” He scurried over. Roxy laughed and went over to the girl. 

She was chatting her up and it was going well when the whole deck heard the mighty roar. And turned to look. A few dragons had been out at night, but only 3 or 4. None had flown during the day.

“Oh my sainted aunt, he is huge!” the girl said.

“Beast of the Sky,” Roxy said. “That’s what they call him in London.”

“I’ve heard of him. They say he’s the reason the city stays safe.”

“Dammit! Now I have to choose between chocolate fudge sauce and my bloody mate being all gorgeous,” Eggsy bitched as he walked over to Roxy. They watched the dragon shoot into the sky, the back almost oxidized bronze legs, glistening in the sun. He roared and dipped down towards the water. “Well fuck,” Eggsy said. “Enjoy.” He handed the ice cream to Roxy and ran and jumped off the railing of the ship and turned. The gold of his scales was almost blinding in the light. The two frolicked in the air, ignoring the crowd they were gathering.

Roxy ate the ice cream and was going to murder them for the accidental cockblock but the girl turned to her. “You know them?”

“I do, but they are boring. I’d much rather get to know you,” Roxy smiled and nudged the girl’s glasses up. The girl blushed a little. Okay maybe she wouldn’t kill them.

*********************************************

Tomorrow they’d be docking. The five of them sat in the living and made plans. They would rent an SUV and drive to Kentucky. Percival had a few shops he wanted to visit in New York, supplies and sundries. They were quiet, nervous. 

“We got this yeah?” Eggsy said. “I mean I’ve seen the four of you in action. Fuck when you are ready for the fight? Nothing will stand yeah? Caught us unawares once, doesn’t mean it will happen again.”

“Excellent point, Eggsy,” Harry agreed. “Now I suggest we all take our rest, things will be busy on the morrow.”

Roxy nodded, “see you boys tomorrow.” And for the first night of the trip crashed in her room.

Harry and Percival went to their space and Percival went into the fridge and pulled out a small bottle for Harry. “I managed to procure you a very small and very rare blood, that I hope you will enjoy.”

Harry smiled at him, as Percival poured himself a whisky. Harry opened the seal and took a sip. “Mother fucker, this is the best I’ve ever tasted,” Harry groaned. His fangs had sunk down and he was licking them. He took another sip and sighed. “This is perfect. Thank you.” He pouted when he reached the end of the tiny bottle. “Do you know where this was supplied from?”

“My left femur artery,” Percival said.

Harry dropped the bottle. “It was you?”

Percival smiled. “A little treat. I am glad you like the taste of me.”

Harry went over and pulled him into a hard kiss, it was a little awkward with his fangs still down, but they managed. “Great. A movie cliche that might actually have a point.”

“Right now I think your teeth have all the points we need.”

Harry laughed a little. It was hard to retract them but he managed. “Get naked,” he ordered.

Percival quirked a brow but did so easily, comfortably. Harry sank down to his knees and looked carefully. He could see the slight bruise where the blood had been drawn from. He kissed and nuzzled the spot. “Harry, you on your knees in front of me like that, I will react,” Percival warned.

Harry licked at the bruise and then looked up. Percival was half hard. He reached out and touched and Percival hissed at the sensation. He quickly drew his hand away.

“Blood born strength, Harry, that’s all, just a little gentler. If you want.”

Harry reached back up and wrapped his fingers around Percival and just held. “Warm,” he said.

“We don’t all run as cold as you,” Percival said. He stayed very still curious what Harry would do. What Harry wanted. Harry had twice watched him wank in the shower but never joined him, never really said anything. This was rather a large step forward.

Harry moved his hand up and down, like he had seen Percival do, felt the man grow harder in his palm. He could smell the arousal and oh that was a very interesting thing. He thought how good the blood tasted. “How does the rest of you taste?” he asked. He leaned forward and licked the tip.

Percival cursed at how good that felt. “Fuck Harry.”

“No, not that. That sounds unpleasant and messy,” Harry said. “But that intrigues me.” He licked again and felt the fangs drop once more. “Bugger, that would make sucking difficult.”

“Well I could always jerk off into your mouth,” Percival said jokingly and winced when Harry’s grip tightened and then relaxed.

“Yes, that sounds lovely, thank you,” Harry said. He knelt on the ground and held his hands carefully on Percival’s hips. He looked up at the man and his eyes were red. “You are a truly considerate partner.”

Percival couldn’t think of the right words, not when Harry was looking at him like that, from on his knees. He wrapped his hand around his cock and started to stroke slowly, worried that this was a little odd, but Harry seemed pleased and interested. “You are so gorgeous,” he whispered and sped up a little. He groaned when Harry’s thumb’s began to rub his hip bones. It was only a few minutes. “Harry,” he whispered and Harry got the hint and opened his mouth wide and Percival shot into it, trying not to make a mess of Harry, but some got on Harry’s cheek and fuck if he didn’t think Harry was gorgeous. 

Harry wiped that bit into his mouth and he swallowed. “Not as good as your blood, but yes that is...just yes.” He leaned forward and nuzzled against Percival’s sensitive and soft cock. “I want this again,” Harry said.

“If you like,” Percival agreed and pulled Harry to his feet and kissed him. “Do you need or want anything?”

“Just some snuggles please.” Harry was hard, but he didn’t really care about it. He just wanted to be held by Percival. Harry stripped naked and they went to bed wrapped tightly around each other.

********************************************************

Eggsy had spent god knows how long kissing and licking at the green and gold legs. He really liked the look, that mix of the two of them together.

Eventually though Merling picked him up and tossed him down and they were rolling about, rutting at each other, snapping and snarling and wrapping each other in their smoke. It was perfect and Merlin snatched up the lube from the table and pinned Eggsy and began to work him open and then pressed in.

They stared at each other, eyes flashing almost going dragon but never quite. Merlin slowed down then and rolled his hips, pushed in and out of Eggsy slowly, letting them feel every bit of it. “My dragon,” Merlin whispered. “My Eggsy.”

“My Merlin,” Eggsy replied. “My beast.”

They both grinned and moved against each other until they came, well satisfied with the feel of one another’s skin. They cleaned up and settled in.

“Hey can we fuck in dragon form?” Eggsy asked.

“Not exactly easy to cover a dragon dick in lube,” Merlin pointed out. 

“Huh, but I mean people must have. People are people. And people like fucking.”

“After this is all done, whatever this is, we’ll see about it,” Merlin promised.

“Wicked,” Eggsy said and then thought about it. “Shit, you are the biggest dragon ever, what’s the size of your cock? I may have made a huge mistake here.”

“Huge is indeed the correct word,” Merlin said and they both laughed. Merlin spooned Eggsy and slid one of coloured legs in between Eggsy’s.

“Thank you, Merlin whispered.

“For what?”

“Just for you,” he said softly and kissed Eggsy’s neck.

“Yeah,” Eggsy said. He pulled up Merlin’s hand and kissed it. “Thanks you for too.”


	21. Chapter 21

They decided to stop for the night, 7 hours in the car together was more than enough and when they went to the hotel, Merlin and Eggsy automatically started for the roof and Percival stopped them. “You can’t transform tonight.”

Both were incredibly itchy from the car ride and they knew they had another five hours tomorrow. “Excuse me?” Merlin said a rumble low in his throat.

Percival pulled everyone into the suite that they had let for the night. “You are too noticeable.”

“There are dragons everywhere,” Eggsy said. “Bruv, we gotta fly or tomorrow in the car will not be good.”

“Go for a walk, a run, fuck it out but you cannot fly tonight,” Percival insisted.

“But -”

“America is different,” Percival snapped. “How do you not feel it?”

Roxy nodded and the other three looked at them. “It’s different than home.”

“Well sure, I saw a McDonalds every few metres, but so what?” Eggsy said. 

Harry looked at Percival, “the people at the rest stop felt like people.”

“Exactly,” Percival said. “The world’s population is roughly 3 billion. And right now all evidence has that at one third full born, one third with some power, and the last third completely mundane. England has a statistically slightly higher than average rate of full born. More like 1 in 2.8 people. Conversely America has it closer to 1 in 4.3 people are full born. Most important is the split isn’t even. The mundane population in large here. How many charms have you seen for security? How many half shifts?”

The group had to admit his point. “How do you know that bruv?”

“I read the wikipedia on the drive,” Percival said. “A dragon Merlin’s size, and one with your gorgeous colouring Eggsy, it is simply too memorable. Leaves too much of a trail.”

“I get it, I do, but we will snap bruv if we don’t have some sort of release,” Eggsy said.

“Go fuck it out and we’ll return with something to soothe you in an hour,” Percival said.

Eggsy grinned at Merlin, “Lab Witch’s orders, babe.”

Merlin tossed Eggsy over his shoulder and disappeared into the bedroom. The other three relunctantly got back into the car. “Where to?” Harry asked behind the wheel.

“Nowhere you are taking us,” Percival tried not to yell. They had let Harry take a shift and that had been a dreadful idea. Eggsy had done most of the driving. “Roxy take the wheel.”

“I wasn’t that bad.”

Roxy opened the driver door and poked Harry until he moved into the back. “Where to?”

“There is a shopping centre that has shoe and sporting goods stores, we should be able to supply our friends with a few basic comforts.” He showed Roxy the map and she tried to cast it onto the car window and the car resisted. She frowned and cast again. Nothing. “Huh, they don’t build magic holders into cars here?” 

“I think we are supposed to use the system’s GPS,” Percival pointed to the small screen. 

“I’m not trusting that voodoo,” Roxy muttered and leaned out the window and cast onto the road itself and smiled when it took. “There we go.” They drove to the shopping centre and went inside.

The huddled together. “I can see that gentleman’s underwear,” Harry said. He tightened his grip on his umbrella.

“Witch’s dreams?” Roxy said, appalled, at the jewelry store she was looking at. “That is...having some of those gems together will cancel out their power. And it is tacky!”

“Shoes and sporting goods,” Percival reminded them. They automatically walked through the mall like they were engaged in hostile territory. The shoe store they found was cheap and Harry wouldn’t even go in.

Roxy looked around. “There!” She pointed. “That seems all trainers. He likes trainers.” They went in and a very perky saleswoman asked if they needed help.

“We need a few pairs of…” Harry looked around the walls. “Which are your most ugly trainers?”

“Excuse me?” she asked, smile fading.

Percival stepped forward. “Ma’am,” he smiled. “We are looking for some ‘kicks’ for our friend. He previously had been a fan of the adidas winged trainers. We know they are no longer on the market, but perhaps you have something that can amuse?”

“Sure,” she agreed. She took them to the wall and they bought a few pairs of shoes for Eggsy and asked for directions to Dick’s Sporting Goods. There Harry procured a few bowie knives for Merlin.

“I’m peckish,” Roxy admitted.

“Resturant a couple doors down ain’t bad,” the clerk said. “And the food court is up one level.”

“Which has the best blood offerings?” Harry asked.

“Uh...the restaurant can make the steak bloody?” 

Harry’s fangs dropped and the clerk gasped. Percival dragged them out and back to the car. He quickly googled and found a blood bar for Harry that had a takeaway place with burgers near it. They brought it all back to the hotel and went to the suite.

“Oi, Eggsy, put the junk away!” Roxy shouted and covered her eyes.

Eggsy was naked and grabbing a bottle of juice from the mini fridge. “Wot? You told us to sex it up. Just following orders.”

“You are glowing a little,” Percival said. “Interesting. I would love to get some -”

“Bruv, do not finish that sentence,” Eggsy warned. “What’s in the million bags?”

“Burgers and sundries,” Harry said.

“Wicked. Oi! Merlin food,” Eggsy called and moved towards them.

“Pants!” Roxy and Harry yelled.

“Can I have a saliva sample?” Percival asked. “Or some of the come on your stomach?”

“Yeah, no,” Eggsy said and hurried back to the bedroom. He and Merlin returned, clothed a few minutes later. Everyone ate and Roxy told them about the horrors of the mall.

When they finished eating they handed Merlin and Eggsy the bags.

“Oh hello Bethany,” Merlin crooned as he pulled the first knife out.

“Richard, nice,” Eggsy said at the rather bright trainers.

“Weird,” Roxy said.

“You have two different coloured eyes,” Eggsy reminded her. “And your uncle wanted to scrape jizz off my abs.”

“For science!” Percival protested.

“Is it though?” Harry asked. He giggled a little and they all looked at him. He stared at his bottle of blood. “Well this is richer than I am used to.”

“Someone is a little bit tipsy,” Roxy sang.

Percival snorted a little. “I’ll keep an eye on him.”

“Yes, please,” Harry said.

“And on that note, bye,” Eggsy said, clutching the bags of shoes. He stood up. “Merlin?”

Merlin was rolling two blades over his hands. “Hmm?”

“Sex time again Merlin,” Eggsy said.

“Tired,” Merlin said. “Old. More recovery needed.”

“So watch me wank and say filthy shit to me.”

“I find that plan acceptable. Good night,” Merlin told the group.

The second the door shut, both Roxy and Percival cast silencing spells. Harry giggled some more.

***********************************************

The tour guide was even perkier than the mall workers had been. Merlin was trying to get readings on his watch. Percival and Roxy were looking for spell signatures and Eggsy kept an eye out for fae charms. 

Harry was oddly engaged in the process of making whisky.

Eventually the tour took them past a building and the whole group paused. “In there,” Merlin whispered and Percival nodded in agreement. His watched hacked the system and as they were about to walk in, Eggsy pointed out a fae trap that Roxy managed to freeze for a moment.

They walked through the building, the giant barrels oddly muffling sound.

“There is a system underneath us, we just need to find a way in,” Merlin said following the readings on his watch so intensely that he walked into a barrel. “Here,” he said. “There should be a door here.”

Percival cast but nothing opened. They all stared and wondered what to do.

“Axe?” Eggsy said and pointed.

“Y’all get lost on your tour?” A voice drawled.

They all turned and tried to act casual. “Yes, that’s it. Lost all the way from England,” Eggsy said.

Harry smiled politely. “We are from Kingsman, perhaps you’ve heard of us? The...unique tailors?”

“Well that explains the mighty fine clothes, but not the breaking and entering through technologically advanced systems and very particular charms.” He pointed his gun at them. “How about you start talking?”

“We said,” Merlin replied. “We are from Kingsman. We need your help.”

“Tailors need the help of a distillery, how does that work?” He put the gun to his shoulder. “Last chance.”

“Our people died from an attack, we need your resources to stop the person who did this,” Roxy pleaded.

“That dog don’t hunt ma’am, now I ain’t asking again.” The man shifted and his skin became hard almost like rock.

“Oh a mineral based shifter, fascinating, can I do some readings on you?” Percival asked.

“You ain’t scared?” That threw him for a loop.

Harry let his fangs drop. “Sir, you have nothing that could scare us.” He pulled his gun out as well.

Percival drew his magic sword and Roxy had her glowing fists. Merlin and Eggsy stood in the middle and waved.

“You two not doing anything to impress me?” 

Merlin and Eggsy both let their breath smoke. “Bruv, we impress you, the building ain’t going to stay standing,” Eggsy said. Merlin just let out a low and deep rumble.

A voice came over the comms. “Tequila, stand down, Kingsman are like us.” It was smooth and soft. “Bring them on in.”

Tequila went back to human skin and smiled. “Right folks, sorry about that.  Welcome to Statesman, secret intelligence agency.” He hit a panel and the whisky barrel swung open. “Aren’t you going to stand down?”

“No,” they all said in unison.

“Fair enough,” he agreed and walked in.

They all followed and the doors closed behind them.


	22. Chapter 22

“Why do you keep staring at me like that?” Tequila asked. He looked at the rest of the group. “Why does he keep staring at me like that?”

Harry was glaring at Tequila. “His is a gaze of scientific curiosity and inquiry. I would suggest you cease staring at him.”

“Hey, I’m only staring because he’s staring,” Tequila replied. He smiled low and slow. “There’s no problem with staring.”

“Can I lick you?” Percival asked.

“Well now, generally I make people buy me a drink or four before licking.” Tequila looked Percival over, “but I can always make an exception.”

Harry’s fangs dropped and he had Tequila against the wall who immediately turned to stone.

Percival darted in and licked his cheek. “It is limestone, fascinating. Now is that because you are from an area that contains a great deal of limestone or is it genetic? Can you change to other rock types? Or wood, can you gain wood?” Percival paused when Eggsy snorted behind him. “Yes yes, erections are very funny.” He turned back to Tequila. “Can I scan your brain? Oh and saliva samples both in more natural state and this one?”

“My weight triples when I’m like this and he’s still holding me up like it is nothing,” Tequila said impressed and a little nervous.

Percival waved a hand. “Yes well Harry is very strong, genetic line perfectly unsullied for a millenia, blah blah blah, technically in the old days he’d be a -”

“Bloody hell Harry, are you like Vampire Merlin?” Eggys realized. “Like the strongest in England?’

“Yes,” Harry replied. He was still holding Tequila up when the barrel door swung open on a different side.

There was a soft sigh. “Tequila, what did you do?”

“Nothing, Ginger, swear. These monsters are insane!”

Ginger watched the two men in the middle blow smoke and the vampire shook Tequila a bit. She looked to the only woman in the group. “Do they always measure their dicks so much?” she asked.

“Until I remind them that my strap on is bigger,” Roxy replied without looking over. She chanted and brought her hands together and then apart and each man flew out of the elevator and hung suspended in the air in the hallway. “Uncle, we don’t lick strangers. Harry you know how he gets with new people to study, you are the only person he wants to lick on a personal scale. Merlin, Eggsy, I get that you are restless but you can’t fly, you’ll be seen. New guy, don’t fuck with us. Now then I do apologize for them, oh god you are gorgeous and I want to do naughty things to you,” Roxy said when she finally looked at the other woman. “Let me do naughty things to you.”

“I’m sorry?” Ginger asked and adjusted her glasses.

Roxy smiled and moved closer to Ginger. “Hi, I’m Roxanne Morton, full moon born, Kingsman Agent Lancelot, and your humble servant.” She gave a gracious bow and kissed Ginger’s hand. “I have many skills that might be of value to you, if you would like a practical demonstration, I would be more than willing to oblige.”

“Fuck Roxy’s got game,” Eggsy said. “I mean been on the receiving end, so know it, but watching it is something else, a thing of beauty. Really should take lessons.”

“Why are you planning lessons of that nature?” Merlin snarled.

“Well we might want to roleplay or something,” Eggsy said. “And like push comes to shove what if I have to shag someone to save the world?” Eggsy turned his head enough to look at Merlin. “Harry is ace, you could never even to save the world step out on your mate, and Percival’s idea of seduction is well…”

“It worked just fine on my intended target,” Percival said huffily. He glowed a little and was released from the spell. “Need to shore up the last two words of the chant, my dear.” He drew his hand down and the others were released as well. “Your concentration also slipped. I realize that this woman is very attractive and very much your type, but that doesn’t excuse shoddy craft. And I could totally seduce people.”

“How long were you working up to getting us together?” Harry asked.

Percival looked at Tequila. “So blood samples?”

“I kinda want to know the answer, because  y’all are crazy, but it is an entertaining crazy. Like a reality show.” Tequila grinned. "Better than the Kardashians any day."

“Over a year, since he was shot by Valentine and we regrew his eye,” Percival admitted.

“You’ve liked me since I got shot in the head and you saved me and then the whole world?” Harry said stunned.

“No, I had liked you for years, that was when I realized it would not be a world worth living in if you weren’t there,” Percival explained. “Harry, you are the centre of my world.”

“I thought being weird about corpses and bodily fluids was your core axis,” Harry was standing there gobsmacked.

“Yes well, you aren’t very observant at times,” Percival smiled a bit. Just the small little smile that Harry realized was one only he received. And had for years.

Harry pulled him tight and kissed him thoroughly.

Tequila clapped. “Seriously I need a whisky and a snack.”

“That was very romantic,” Ginger sighed watching the two men. She looked at Merlin and Eggsy curious if they would do something too. 

“You got a place we can fly unseen? Otherwise we need a really soundproof room so he can drain my balls,” Eggsy said pointing to Merlin. “Well we need the latter after a flight too. We’re the horny dragon sort.”

Tequila snorted a little and then looked at them and realized they weren’t laughing. “Wait, you two are really dragons?”

“Yeah,” Eggsy said. He scowled. “Why, you got a problem?”

“Like full dragons?” Tequila was moving closer to them, all eager. “Not halvsies?”

“Bruv, Merlin is the Beast of the Motherfucking Sky,” Eggsy said.

“Yeah that’s got nothing for me,” Tequila said.

Ginger was tapping on her data pad. “Wow,” she said. She moved over to show Tequila, and straightened her posture a bit when Roxy moved as well.

“Fuck, you are huge,” Tequila said. “We got the quarry.”

“Quarry?” Merlin asked.

“We purchased it a few years ago, we do some live exercises, demolition practice there. I created a computer generated shield over the area, enhanced with a few charms, so it looks empty always, you could fly around it as long as you don’t go too high.”

“Harry, ye are in charge of us, explain to Ginger the situation while Tequila takes Eggsy and me there.”

Harry finally let go of Percival. “I’m not in charge, we don’t have anyone in charge. If anything you are in charge. You have said I’m too likely to eat people who annoy me to be in charge.”

“We haven’t flown in a few days, Harry,” Merlin said. “I need to stretch, and ye know Eggsy needs the practice.”

“Oi, I’m a great flyer,” Eggsy said.

“Aye, but ye need practice being able to fly and not shag after,” Merlin explained. “We need to get you flying mission ready. We’ve already lost so much training time for you, and there is a likelihood ye will be pressed into service hard and fast soon.”

Eggsy thought about making a joke but realized Merlin had a point. “So we’re flying and blue balling?”

“Aye,” Merlin agreed. “So, Harry ye are in charge.”

“No. Don’t wanna,” Harry said. “Not it.”

“Not it,” Merlin called.

“Fucking not it,” Eggsy said. “I’m not even a Kingsman technically, can’t put me in charge.”

Percival and Roxy looked at each other. Everyone was watching them. 

“Seriously, you guys are the ones that stopped Valentine?” Tequila had to ask. “Because honestly watching y’all now? That dog don’t hunt.”

Ginger was a little curious as well, they seem rather unhinged. She tapped her tablet and eight drones came flying out of the walls. 

Merlin through a bowie knife at one and knelt down and Roxy ran and jumped off his shoulder bringing two down with her rock fists. Percival and Harry automatically went back to back, Percival holding his magic sword in one hand and a spell cast black goo in the other. Harry started firing, taking down four while Percival got the last of them with the goo and slicing in half one that went too near Harry. The four stood and casually straightened their clothes.

All eight drones had been destroyed in less than two minutes.

Eggsy had leaned against the wall and grinned. “Yeah, so like they are insane, but scary competent. You should have seen them deal with a mutate blood born nest of like 30.”

Ginger’s head snapped up. “Mutations.”

Even Tequila went serious. “Last week, I had to put down a boy, he weren’t right. Made no sense, talked about being free. He killed half a dozen people, didn’t mean to, don’t think, but,” Tequila swallowed. “He was elemental shift, just became pure fire. It was a mess. No one should be pure fire, it doesn’t work like that.”

Percival leaned forward. “Do you have his body?”

“No,” Tequila said. “By the time we were done, there was just ash.”

“I have collected samples of the ash.” Ginger looked at the group. “Right. Game plan. Tequila drive the two dragons out to the quarry, they won’t be of use to us if they are going squirrely. Percival I will take you to the labs and you can study my team’s analysis and the remaining samples we have from our few encounters.”

“Is there a cauldron I can borrow?”

“I’ll instruct the team to find you one,” she promised. “I will take Roxy and Harry to Champ to explain their situation.”

“Didn’t you hear the part where I said not it?” Harry protested.

“Don’t you see the part where I am not caring?” Ginger countered. Roxy smiled and moved a little closer. “A full blood born just walking around will scare people. You are staying with someone recognizable at all points.”

The Kingsman all stared at her in confusion. “We are aware that full borns are rarer in America but, surely in an outfit such as this, they are more common.”

Ginger shook her head. “We have a few, like Tequila, but most are barely half. We rely on science and technology.”

“Interesting,” Percival said.

“Watching you though, gotta admit, seeing the advantage,” Tequila said. “Ginger, see you in a while. Real curious to watch the two of you fly. You as impressive as him?” Tequila asked Eggsy.

“Totally,” Eggsy puffed himself up.

“He is the cutest little dragon you will ever see,” Harry said. He smiled when Eggsy flipped him off. The three head to the elevator and Ginger walked the rest down a few halls and dropped Percival off at the lab, instructing her staff to give him full access and to find him a cauldron.

“Are you a lab witch?” one of the scientists asked.

“I am,” Percival agreed.

There was a squeal and excited babbling.

Ginger looked at Roxy and Harry. “Let me show you to Champ now.”

“You can show me whatever you like,” Roxy agreed. 

“Don’t be so....lecherous, you are a gentleman,” Harry hissed.

“I would be very gentle with her,” Roxy replied.

“And if I didn’t want gentle?” Ginger’s eyes widened a little at what she had said and she started furiously paying attention to her tablet.

Roxy winked at Harry, who just shook his head. “How did I end up surrounded by so many overly sexed people?”

“I’m not overly sexed darling,” Percival called out. “I think I am properly Harry sexed.”

Harry felt a flush reach his cheeks. “Right. Well, enjoy your samples.”

“They have a heart!” Percival crowed when brought a box.

“Take us to your leader,” Harry told Ginger. He could see her sneaking glances at Roxy while she pretended to work on her tablet. “We do need to sort all this out. And soon.”

Ginger nodded and took the two back up and over to Champ.

 

At the quarry Merlin was already flying and Eggsy was itching to join him. He grinned at Tequila. “Hey wanna play how fireproof are you when shifted?”

Tequila grinned wickedly back. “We’re going to be friends.” He shifted and ran into the quarry, blending in with the rock around them. “You’ll have to find me to burn me,” he shouted and in a second Eggsy couldn’t see him at all. 

Eggsy jumped and turned. He flew up to Merlin and they bumped snouts and breathed smoke at each other for a moment before Merlin rumbled and nudged Eggsy. He lazily circled while Eggsy flew fast and low hunting Tequila.

He gave a rumbly dragon laugh when Tequila yelped as Eggsy found him and sent fire at him. Eggsy flew back up to him for another kiss and then back to hunting Tequila. They played like that for an hour, having a grand time.

Eggsy shifted back to human and stood by Tequila. “So?”

“Buy you a beer?” Tequila asked. He was sweating and thrilled with the whole experience.

“Fuck yeah!”

“We should return to the Stateseman,” Merlin chided them. “Saving the world remember?”

Eggsy went over and kissed Merlin hard, nipped at his lips. “No sex?” he begged.

“No sex,” Merlin said firmly.

“Hmm, you know the rock here, can mess up the starting ignition, bet it will take me about 15 minutes to get the car going,” Tequila said. “You two can wait in the shed over there.”

“We are officially best friends,” Eggsy said and dragged Merlin over.

“Ye are supposed to be learning control,” Merlin tried to protest.

“Hand jobs? First one to pop the other off wins?” Eggsy suggested.

Merlin let himself be dragged over, he was helpless to his mate’s eyes. 12 minutes later Tequila was driving them back to the distillery, Eggsy and Tequila cheerfully talked the whole time, Merlin lightly dozed. 


	23. Chapter 23

“Well then,” Champ said and stared at the Kingsman. “We are in a pickle.” He kept looking at them. “Full born all of you, really?”

“Indeed,” Harry said shortly. He sighed when Champ stared at his mouth and dropped his fangs.

“Well if that don’t beat all,” Champ reached out like he wanted to poke them and Harry’s eyes went red. “Meant no disrespect. But aren’t y’all a little…”

“A little what?” Merlin asked, and a little smoke came out his nose.

“That! Emotional and unstable to be saving the world?” Champ looked between the group. Four of them looked like they were getting battle ready and he reached for his hidden gun.

“He’s got a point,” Eggsy said. They all snapped their gaze to him. “Well, we haven’t exactly made a good first impression. You lot never make a good first impression.”

“Made a good enough impression that we fucked,” Roxy snapped. She then looked to Ginger. “It was just for work, love, in my private life I prefer woman. Ones with cute haircuts, fast fingers, and clever eyes.” Roxy smiled at her. “And you look the cleverest of them all.”

“Is she hitting on Ginger when there is a strange imminent threat we know little about?” Champ stared in awe.

“Yeah,” Eggsy agreed.

“Ginger seems to like it,” Tequila offered. Ginger kept moving closer to Roxy who smiled like a spider luring in a fly.

“I have talked to the people in your lab,” Percival offered. “And we’ve combined our research a little. We have matching symptoms, matching cases. You have been dealing with them in your country, Canada, and Mexico. We’ve seen cases over England and a few in Europe. With what Merlin and Roxy found at that castle, we have concluded that this is a drug that people are taking to release their buried born.”

“I don’t get it, if you are less than a quarter pure you can’t do much,” Tequila said. “Look at Agent Whisky. He’s like 25% fae and he can make a few charms, a couple illusions that knock him for a loop after.”

“Well these people are being lied to, or lying to themselves, and they think taking this drug will unlock the genetic code and let them be full born,” Percival said. “But there are problems with that on a few levels. Some people can gain those powers, look at Eggsy, who had been...contained, denied his bone born status. He know has his full powers, but his dragon is smaller than average. These people their bodies cannot physically handle what they are trying to unleash.”

Eggsy scowled as Harry opened his mouth. “Call me a cute little thing I will end you.”

“You are though,” Tequila said. “But fast. The way you corner versus Merlin? Sure he’s a beast and can crush us all, but you seem more useful in a fight.”

“Thank you,” Eggsy said. “I’m going to be wicked in a proper fight.”

Champ looked at him. “You are a Kingsman agent aren’t you?”

Eggsy winced. “In training? Sort of? It’s complicated.”

“He was beginning proper training to become a full fledged agent when our base was attacked. I expect in time he will make a truly astonishing force for good,” Harry said firmly.

Eggsy gave him a blinding smile, “Thanks, bruv.”

“Not at all, Eggsy, it is the mere truth.”

“Still, don’t know if he should be at this meeting if he ain’t an agent,” Champ said thoughtfully.

Roxy’s hands began to glow, and so did Merlin’s eyes. Harry was reaching for his gun and Percival his sword handle.

“Try to take him away from us and see how emotional we get,” Roxy said.

“Eep,” Ginger replied. She was not going to swoon but all that strength and glowing was pretty attractive.

Eggsy held up a hand. “Chill guys, he don’t want me here I can go explore,” he said easily. “Don’t need the secret handshake, Merlin will tell me everything after anyways.”

“No, no, stay, was just curious,” Champ said. He nodded to himself. “Right anyone got a clue about how we get a clue?”

“Charlie,” Roxy said. “We need to find him. Find him and we find answers.”

“How did we find one guy?” Tequila asked. “Who’s going to be laying low.”

Roxy smiled. “During our training together, he never shut up about this one girl. We find the girl, maybe we find a way to him. Clara, her name was Clara.”

“Not a lot to go on,” Ginger admitted.

Roxy gave her a look. “Clever woman like you has probably found more with a lot less to go on.”

“Really?” Champ asked.

“You will become accustomed to us,” Percival suggested.

“No, don’t think we will,” Tequila replied.

“Sure you will,” Eggsy said. “Now while they do their find a needle in the haystack shit, wanna go back to the quarry and play?”

“No,” Harry replied.

“Awwwww, why not?” Eggsy and Tequila both said.

Merlin rolled his eyes, “Because ye know how to fly. You need to go to the gym. Remember the training ye had begun and practice.”

“Fine,” Eggsy sighed. “You got a decent gym here?”

“You know it,” Tequila replied. The two stood up and hurried out, bored with the meeting. Roxy and Ginger went to Ginger’s office to find a lead and Percival muttered about lab techs needing lessons, Merlin just walked out without an excuse, all leaving Harry behind.

Harry and Champ looked at each other. They just stare trying to get the measure of each other.

“I like my steaks bloody,” Champ offered.

“I like my blood bloody,” Harry replied.

“You gonna eat any of my people?”

“Only if they annoy me a great deal. My boyfriend frowns on me eating people. I will need a blood supply though.”

“Think there is a supplier down the road?” Champ said.

“Thank you. You are correct. We are overly emotional,” Harry conceded. “But that shouldn’t suggest that we cannot do the job. We are in fact very very good at the job.”

“Saved the world a few times, myself, and I say our tech is better than your magic any day,” Champ leaned forward. “Any day.”

Harry in turn leaned back in his chair. “I doubt it. V-day.”

“The Blackcoats,” Champ countered. Both men grinned and settled into their competition.

******************************************

“There she is,” Ginger said quite pleased with herself. “Her instagram, twitter, snap chat, and oh...well she has nice breasts?” Ginger wondered where to look.

“Yeah, suppose those are decent tits, but she is dating a murderous asshole so you know, kind of kills her looks for me,” Roxy said easily. “I don’t like them evil.”

“No? No thrill of -” Ginger wasn’t even sure how she would finish that.

“Work is work, after, I like women who are smart and do not carry the evil gene,” Roxy said. She looked at Ginger, “you don’t look very evil.”

“I’m also rather mundane,” Ginger pointed out. 

“I wouldn’t say that, your computer skills and the tech your team have designed are rather incredible,” Roxy replied. “I think us working together could be a very good thing.” She brushed a piece of Ginger’s hair away from her face. “Now then, what’s Coachella?” she asked staring at photos of Clara picking her Coachella wardrobe.

Ginger looked at her in surprise. “You don’t know about Coachella?”

Roxy shook her head. “Sorry.”

“Big music festival in California, tends to be very...chill and hippie?” Ginger adjusted her little tie under her sweater vest.

“Oh lord, maxi dress and appropriation?” 

“Some decent music?” Ginger said.

“So an American version of Glasto,” Roxy said. “But we have her location for 2 days from now. Is there a bullet train that would get us there?”

Ginger looked up routes. “Can get you there in the next day.”

“22 hours of travel with a shit layover, you can cross most of Europe in that,” Roxy looked at the map. 

“We do everything bigger here,” Ginger said. She looked at Roxy, “betting even our strap ons are bigger.” She waited, wondering if it was too forward. She guess from Roxy’s grin it wasn’t. “Now we need to get a small team there. My boys -”

“Nu-uh, sorry beautiful, but now way are we letting you take point, this leads to Charlie and I am going to kill that fucker for almost destroying the Kingsman.”

“We have to take this to Champ, I have to follow the chain of command,” Ginger said.

“Of course,” Roxy agreed. They pass the gym and seeing Tequila and Eggsy rolling on the ground. “Puppies!” she called out and threw a little magic to separate them. “Meeting.”

They come along and also gather Percival along the way. “Any idea where Merlin is?” Eggsy asked.

“NO!” They all heard down a hall. “You are treating Temperance poorly and she needs a good home. Matthias too.” Merlin came running, arms full of bladed weapons. “Not a single whetstone in there.”

“Fucking hell, I love you Merlin,” Eggsy said staring at his boyfriend.

“Thank you.” Two people followed and Merlin growled low in his chest and blew some smoke. They hurried back into the armory and Merlin gave a satisfied nod. “What is going on?” Merlin asked looking at them.

“Ginger found Clara,” Roxy said.

“I couldn’t have done it without you,” Ginger protested.

Percival looked between them. “Hmmm,” is all he said but in such a way that it made Eggsy snicker.

They eventually make it back to the meeting room where Harry and Champ are playing cards and laughing.

“Glad you are bonding,” Merlin said.

“Glad you are stealing axes,” Harry commented.

“Glad Ginger actually knows how to do work,” Roxy snapped.

“To the task at hand,” Percival said and everyone took a seat. 

Ginger explained that they would be able to find Clara at Coachella. Tequila looked at the screen. “I can go,” he said.

Ginger shook her head, “sorry Tequila but you know that dry air and you don’t get along.”

Percival leaned forward, “Because limestone yes?” Tequila nodded a little. “Interesting, while they put a tracker on Clara, can I experiment on you?”

“You gonna lick me again?” 

“No, he is not,” Harry glared.

“Right, ace, incompetent, and grumpy are staying here,” Roxy said pointing at Harry, Percival, and Merlin. “Eggsy and I will go.”

“Me?” Eggsy squeaked. He cleared his throat. “Me?” he said in a too deep voice.

“Clara is likely to like guys, you would be handy,” Roxy said. “Between the two of us, we can work her easy.”

“Three,” Champ said firmly. “Agent Whisky is in New York and will meet you at Coachella.”

“We have trackers that can lodge into people and are good for a week and then break down into the bloodstream,” Ginger explained. 

“Now, you will have to be careful,” Champ said. “This sort of event will have more powers at it, but you still have to blend in.”

“We got this,” Eggsy said. “I’m not exactly on a lot of youtube vids like Merlin is. I change, people won’t recognize.”

“Eggsy,” Merlin looked worried.

“I got this, and I got Roxy, tell me that’s not the best back up there is,” Eggsy said. Merlin conceded the point. Ginger took them to pack some supplies and appropriate clothes and they were gone within an hour.

Merlin disappeared, taking a car to the quarry. He wasn’t going to be in human form very much until Eggsy returned.

**********************************************

“Sorry, what?” Eggsy said. He did not like Whisky. He knew it was stupid, but the guy wasn’t like Tequila and Ginger, or even Champ. He didn’t want to say it, but he had a look to his eyes that reminded him of Dean’s crew. He squeezed his necklace tight, needing to send Daisy a hug.

“The tracker needs to be pressed into a mucus membrane for it to work,” he said looking at the two of them. “Ain’t you ever worked with trackers before?”

“I have, and no they don’t,” Roxy protested. “Magic ones -”

“You said this guy knows you lot have mojo, you telling me he likely hasn’t draped her in protections and anti magic charms?” Whisky countered. “Basic seduction, everyone fucks about at these sorts of things. One of us should have luck,” he said. “She’s in the VIP section. I had a contact we can get in. May the best man win.”

Roxy gave him a look. “I will,” she replied. 

They all walked in and Whisky was the first to approach Clara and he crashed and burned. Roxy went over and it got too friendly, not way was Roxy getting anywhere private with Clara and Roxy could tell and backed off.

“You can do this,” Roxy said. “Just get her alone and press this against her nape, it will knock her out.” She pressed a small disk into Eggsy’s hand.

Eggsy looked at Clara and couldn’t remember how to approach a girl. It was like all flirting capabilities had been wiped from his mind. All that was there was Merlin. He took a few slow breaths and walked over to the bar. “Hey do you have the time?” he asked. “Been travelling and those bullet trains just mess me up so hard.” He lay his accent on as thick as he could. He looked at her. “Wait…”

“Yes?” she asked.

“No, it’s stupid, but looked at you and in an instant thought I could see your spirit animal walking beside you. Sorry been on a meditation retreat the last few weeks,” he said. He had poured over all her social media on the trains and she was big into that crap.

“Oh really? What did you see?” she asked.

“Jaguar, crazy I know,” he said.

“Oh my god,” Clara blinked. She moved her dress to show him her tattoo. “You are staying right beside me today,” she said.

Hours later Eggsy had a headache from the music and from flirting with someone who wasn't Merlin. But they went to her tent and Eggsy had the damn tracker in his pocket and she stripped off her stupid dress and god a year ago, he’d be hard and all he could think of was Merlin.

“Got to take a leak, just a mo,” he said and hurried over to the bathroom and began to panic. “Rox, rox, rox, come on, I know you got a bead on me, help help, Rox, please your wacky witchy ways and get your arse here,” he chanted. He remembered the token thing she had given him and took a few breaths and went back in with a smile. He held out a hand and pulled her close and into a kiss.

He could do a kiss. She tasted normal, like the water she had been guzzling. Not like fire, like promise like how Merlin did. He pressed the disk against her neck and nothing happened. Guess Whisky had been right about her having some protections or something. He kept kissing her and his mind screamed for Roxy.

“River!” Roxy shouted from the door. “What the fuck!”

Eggsy jumped back. “Baby, I can explain,” he said quickly. “It’s not what it looks like.”

“It looks like you have your tongue down a slattern’s throat,” Roxy replied.

“Slattern?” Eggsy and Clara said.

“You bitch,” Roxy said. 

“I didn’t know he was with you,” Clara protested. Roxy kept moving forward. “River?”

“Look, sorry, but the missus gets this mad no one can contain her.” Eggsy grinned, “and hey chick fight. She’s a demon in the sack when riled up.”

“You don’t poach,” Roxy said. She then punched Clara hard and knocked her out. “I’m really sorry about that,” Roxy said to the passed out woman. “It is of course, not your fault at all, no woman is at fault for a man dicking around, but it worked as a distraction.” She held out her hand and Eggsy passed her the tracker.

“Rox you aren’t gonna?” Eggsy didn’t like the idea of Roxy touching Clara like how Whisky insisted they had to do.

Roxy carefully opened one of Clara’s eyes. “Lots of mucus membranes out there, Eggsy.” She pressed just inside the lid. “And there we go.” Roxy smiled. “Sorry love, but you are shagging a wanker. Bone a tool, become a tool.”

They walked out and met Whisky at the arranged location. “Well get it done?” he asked. They nodded. “Woulda thought it wouldn’t be that hard to touch a girl,” he said to Eggsy.

“It is when you are bone born and mated,” Roxy snapped.

Whisky paled. “Why was he brought along if that was the case?”

Roxy was ready to argue and the itch under his skin hurt too much. He needed Merlin and he could fly over the land in a way trains couldn’t. He ran jumping up onto a car and then leapt into the sky and transformed. It was both better and worse the itch under his skin because he could just feel the right direction to fly. But not having his mate flying next to him was painful. He flew as fast as he could, knowing he couldn’t make it in one go but would try as hard as he could.

He flew for hours and could feel Merlin getting closer but he was moving, it was confusing him. Until he saw a shape in the distance.

He knew that shape.

Eggsy was exhausted but pushed a little farther until he crashed into Merlin. Merlin wrapped him in his wings and brought them down in a forest somewhere. They transformed back and Eggsy was gasping, lungs burning, aching. “We’re mates?”

“It seems so.”

“Like bound together forever, dragon mates, like in romance novels?” Eggsy looked at him. “I almost threw up kissing her.”

“I know, I could feel it,” Merlin said. He kissed Eggsy hungrily. “Mine,” he growled. He made more noise low and deep.

“Mine too, you fucker,” Eggsy agreed. They went to the ground kissing and rutting against each other until they both felt the orgasms roll over them.

“Mine,” they both said and looked at each other. 

“Forever?” Eggsy asked.

“Forever,” Merlin promised.

“You ruined tits for me,” he said.

Merlin laughed. “I never liked them period.” He held Eggsy close and they rested so that they could finish the flight to Kentucky.


	24. Chapter 24

Merlin and Eggsy just sighed. They wish they were surprised, but they weren’t.

“Spit in the cup, cup one and two are for you individual spit, cup three combine them please,” Percival said. 

“Thought you were sick of all my bodily fluids.” Eggsy spit in the red cup and noticed a line of blue ones, one of green, and three petri dishes. “Tell me those are there for beverages.”

“Well in a pinch of desperation one can drink wee, and some do like that as a kink, but no I do not plan to drink them.” Percival handed over the blue cups. “I’ll mix the wee together. And clearly you can take the green cups to your quarters and provide me those samples in the morning.”

They didn’t even bother objecting and returned with the cups of wee and then let the blood samples happen.

“Now, I do not have two of my brain scan machines with me here, and it is not a tech they have developed,” Percival began.

“Thank fuck,” Merlin muttered.

“So we do it the old fashioned way. Darling?” Percival called and Roxy walked over an extra sway to her hips and Eggsy snorted a little.

“ _ Is she looking? _ ” Roxy mouthed to Eggsy and Eggsy tilted his head and saw Ginger pretending she wasn’t watching. He gave Roxy a small nod and Roxy grinned and began to move her hands very dramatically.

Percival just sighed. “Youth,” he muttered. He caught Roxy’s eye and they chanted in unison and Roxy stopped the dramatic motions, matched them to Percival’s. A golden spark emerged from their hands and they chanted and chanted and then both pivoted. They threw the sparks at Merlin and Eggsy and then yanked their arms back hard.

All of Ginger’s people in the room gasped when the sparks returned, looking like Merlin and Eggsy’s brains. Roxy kept chanting and gave her uncle a tense nod and he let go of his hold. Roxy stumbled for just a moment and then straightened and maintained the two images on her own.

“That’s like a living MRI,” Ginger stared in shock. She moved slowly forward and reached out and pulled her hand back. “Will I hurt them?”

“No they feel this even less than MRI,” Percival said. “Think of flying both of you.” He smiled as the part of their brain that was pure dragon lit up. “Look here, look how if the thought of flying impacts their brain.” He grinned at Ginger. “Now, think of flying together. Think of flying with your mate.”

Both brains flared red that was tinged with green for Eggsy and gold for Merlin. “Their brains are showing the colour of each other’s scales?”

“Hmmm,” Percival agreed. “Roxy?”

“Fine,” she said through gritted teeth. “Though this would be a little easier if they were dumber. Less going on to control. Don’t flare them though.”

“Oh? So I shouldn’t ask them to think about how it feels to fuck after they’ve flown together?” Percival asked.

Both brains flared insane colours that traversed the whole of the images. Roxy was actually pushed back a few metres and the images blinked for a minute but she pulsed more magic at it. “You bastard,” she snarled. 

“You’ll thank me once we are done,” Percival commented. “Eggsy, think of shoes, Merlin blades.” Percival asked a few more simple questions and then told Roxy she could drop the spell.

Roxy was sweating and flushed by this point. “What the hell were you -”

Ginger rushed over and kissed her hard. Roxy was breathless for an entirely different reason at the end. “You are so amazing. And you look so...wow, when you do magic.”

“Quarters?” Roxy asked and Ginger threw her clipboard at Percival, took Roxy’s hand and they were gone.

Merlin and Eggsy looked at Percival. “Did you just use our brains to get your niece laid?” Eggsy asked.

“You are not the only person who can ‘wingman’ Eggsy,” Percival said with a smug grin. “Now go jerk off in those cups.” He went to the table he had claimed as his and started work.

They took the cups and disappeared to their quarters.

Harry was walking down the hall and heard all sorts of very dramatic noises. “You’d think they could soundproof a little more,” he muttered and hurried to the kitchens. Perhaps he could finally convince them to store some blood for him.

*******************************

“I can confirm that they are fully and truly mated,” Percival said to the group gathered.

“We coulda told you that bruv,” Eggsy replied.

“I believe in fact we did,” Merlin added.

“What does that exactly mean?” Champ asked. “Know what I’ve seen in movies but lord knows that ain’t real.”

“Means they are a liability in the field,” Whiskey replied. “Means they’ll be crazy.”

“Yeah, crazy in a good way,” Tequila countered, automatically defending his new best friend. “Makes Eggsy is awesomer.” He held out his hand and Eggsy gave a fist bump.

“Yeah, I am totally awesomer,” Eggsy agreed.

Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. “More awesome, gentlemen.” He looked over to Percival. “I want an honest assessment. Is this a benefit or a detriment?”

Percival looked at his friends. Merlin was perfectly calm, Eggsy was not. The boy so very wanted to be in the field with them. “Neither.”

That confused everyone sitting there. “I’m sorry?” Ginger asked. Percival handed her his file and she began flipping through it and making thinking noises. She began to nibble on a pen and Roxy couldn’t stop watching.

“It is neither a benefit or risk, it is what it is,” Percival replied. “They can be separated, they can be half the world apart and be fine.”

“No they can’t,” Whiskey protested. “Look how he flew out of there on our mission.”

“Because he tried to shag a stranger,” Percival commented. “His body and soul screamed for his mate then. If they were on separate missions, they’d miss each other like any couple and their see each other again response would be more...robust than say Harry and myself.” Percival paused and gave Harry a soft smile and Harry’s fangs dropped a bit. They stared at each other until Eggsy coughed. “Yes well...they can survive being apart.”

“What about the need to protect each other?” Whiskey protested. “In a fight, they’ll automatically protect each other, irregardless of the team.”

“Regardless,” Roxy, Percivall, Harry, and Merlin all snapped. Ginger covered her laugh with the file Percival had given her. Tequila just laughed outright.

“In some cases that would perhaps be a valid concern, but -” Percival looked over. Merlin was sitting in between Ginger and Eggsy. He threw two bolts of magic and Merlin kicked Eggsy’s chair to move him but automatically moved to cover Ginger. It was harmless magic, just splashed against Merlin’s back but proved his point. “Merlin is a Kingsman, he might be mated to Eggsy but he will always protect the most vulnerable.” He threw a small palm blade to Merlin to make up for the trick. “They will keep an eye on each other a little more, but honestly this affects their personal life more than their professional one.”

“Thank you Percival,” Harry said formally. “You two promise not to be too lovey dovey in the field?”

“Do ye promise to stop staring at Percival’s arse?” Merlin asked in return.

“Well I am sorry but a gentleman admires a work of art when it is in front of them,” Harry protested.

“Hey, Eggsy, is mated dragon sex as hot as it looks in porn?” Tequila whispered across the table.

“Don’t know, we haven’t tried dragon sex yet,” Eggsy answered. Tequila’s mouth dropped open. “Oh you meant. Yeah...no, it’s definitely better. Just like that extra edge of intense?”

“You think we can sneak out?” Roxy asked Ginger.

There was a beeping noise and everyone quieted. Champ hit the comms button and a tinny voice quavered. “Sir, you might want to look at the news stations.”

Champ turned out the screen on the wall and split the screen into four. The table quieted as they watched report after report roll in of people shifting wrong, mutated vampires, and in a couple cases people half turned dragon. They watched law enforcement have no choice but to kill the mutating people. 

There were currently over twenty incidents in the U.S. and another 50 or so worldwide.

Champ looked at the table. “Well you better be field ready, Eggsy, because it looks like we are going to have to go to war.” 

Eggsy took a deep breath and nodded. Merlin squeezed his hand. 

*******************************************

“Poppy, looks like the roll out is working,” Charlie said staring at the news from their base.

Poppy made herself a burger. “Just you wait, honey, this is nothing.” She bit in to the perfect medium cheeseburger and made yummy noises. This was just the beginning.


	25. Chapter 25

“We have something!” Ginger shouted into her room. Roxy had been tossing a glowing ball in the air and Percival had been showing Ginger’s assistants a few of his methods of study. Tequila had taken the dragons for a fly and Harry was likely playing cards with Champ. Those two men were trading a fortune between each other.

Roxy moved a little closer and Ginger did some typing and then Charlie and Clara’s voices flooded the room.

“Charlie, what is going on?” she asked. “Three of my friends are dead! They took that potion.”

“Did you?” Charlie asked. “Did you?” he shouted when she was quiet.

“Not the whole thing, but a couple sips,” she admitted. “Everything feels tingly. I’m a quarter shift born, Charlie what’s it going to do to me?”

“Nothing baby, not if you get yourself to North Dakota.”

“Why do I need to go to North Dakota?” 

“We have a cure there, I can meet you there, we’ll get you sorted. But you need to keep quiet,” he said.

“Will the train get me there in time?”

“Just,” he said grimly. “Get moving, darling.” He hung up.

“North Dakota,” Roxy said focused on the threat of Charlie.

But Percival focused on something else. “Cure. He said cure. Why would they create this potion that is killing people and also create a cure?” He dumped a few things into the cauldron and there was a minor explosion. He ignored it and went over. “If we can get a sample of the cure, Roxy and I can probably reverse engineer it.”

Roxy’s smile was cold. “And I can kill Charlie.”

“Is that wise?” Ginger asked. “He isn’t in charge and could maybe lead us to the person who is.”

Roxy’s hands turned into her rock fists. “He killed my friends and coworkers. He used a fight with me to create an opportunity to destroy everything I grew up with, everything I believed in. I don’t care if he could lead us to God or the Devils below us - I will see him dead.”

Percival went over and touched her hair. “Your time will come, darling. But first North Dakota. Is it one of the big states?” he asked Ginger.

“It isn’t one of the small ones,” she said.

“What’s there? Big urban centre?” Roxy asked.

“Uhhh,” Ginger pulled up the map. “Lots of space.”

“How much space?” Percival asked. 

“It is one of the whole lot of nothing states,” Ginger explained. “That could make them hard to find.”

“Construction?” Roxy asked. “Can you track mysterious builds in the area, or in the cities, sales of factories, warehouses.”

“How long will it take us to get there?”

“This is where we got lucky. She has to get herself there so that means a couple trains. We have multiple drivers and we have some very fast cars. A team can get there faster. I can research while you drive, track her. You can get there at least 10 hours ahead of her if you go hard, lay a trap.”

“I’ll call in Tequila and the dragons,” Roxy said. “You round up everyone else,” she told her uncle who then went looking for people.

“He really is more useful alive,” Ginger pointed out.

“Trust me, leaving Charlie alive is a devastatingly bad idea,” Roxy replied. “You don’t know what he’s capable of.” She looked at the screen that had a picture of him up. “I don’t know what he’s capable of, and I rather thought I did.”

Ginger reached out to squeeze Roxy’s hand, but Roxy was already leaving.

***********************************

“Aww, honey, why do you have to go to the North Dakota facility?” Poppy asked. 

“Trouble in the lab,” Charlie said.

Poppy looked at him. “You know, I really appreciate how hands on you are. It takes a weight off my mind to know how loyal and considerate you are.” She smiled at him and her eyes went full black before returning normal. “Lab trouble you say?”

Charlie used all his Kingsman training to not give anything away. “More a personnel problem in the lab. Bit of a problem with sampling. They could handle it themselves but figure a reminder of how serious we take every single part of our operation should keep other locations in line.”

Poppy smiled. “Oh sweetie, you are so good to me. Well off you go then, I have a few other irons in the fire I need to see to. Ooooh, bring me back some cheese.”

“That’s Wisconsin, Poppy.”

“Huh, what’s North Dakota got again?” Poppy waved a hand, “Never mind. Go shoo and remind them that I don’t like being disappointed.” She shook her head sadly. “People dipping their hands into the pot. What is the world coming to?”

“Crying shame,” Charlie agreed and headed out into the jungle to their vehicle depot and got the plane prepped. He was terrified every time that a dragon would take him down, there were maybe 40 planes in the whole world. It was painted in scales and a face on the nose. He said a quick prayer and took off north.

**********************************************

“Still don’t see why it couldn’t be Tequila with us,” Eggsy muttered. At least Whiskey was in the other car with Percival and Roxy. “Tequila is a good guy,” he added.

“Aye, he is,” Merlin agreed. “But Whiskey actually knows the area a little bit.”

“He’s from Texas,” Eggsy protested.

“But he did uni in North Dakota, and is a better driver than Tequila,” Harry replied. “And Tequila was needed for that case with the mutated shifter in Alabama.”

“Whiskey is...something about him bugs me,” Eggsy said.

“Well he did say 'to all intensive purposes' the other day and I wanted to stab him,” Harry said.

“I do nae like how he looks at Eggsy,” Merlin added. He shrugged when Eggsy quirked a brow at him. “It isn’t sexual...I can’t describe it. But Champ is a good man and trusts him, so I am betting it is just an abrasive American personality. We don’t need to like him, we just need results.”

“Tequila and Ginger are American too and Tequila is all in your face and awesome about it,” Eggsy muttered. “Why can’t we fly?” He looked around. “We’re out of Kentucky right?”

“Almost out of Indiana as well,” Harry added. He looked around as he drove. “I dislike the look of this part of America. I miss home. I miss England.” He took a sip of blood. “But these reusable thermoses Ginger gave us are excellent.”

Merlin squeezed Harry’s shoulder. “We’ll get this done and be home. We’ll rebuild.”

“I’ll help,” Eggsy said eagerly. He stared at the highway stretching out in front of him. “Right. Sorry guys. I have to.” He opened his window and undid his seatbelt and pulled his torso out of the car.

“Eggsy!” Harry said shocked and tried to pull him back in.

Merlin smiled fondly at his antics of his mate.

Eggsy got himself on the roof of the car and then just let go and let the wind push him back and in a blink he was flying in the air next to them and then shooting up into the sky, with a roar of pleasure.

“You joining him?” Harry asked and Merlin just laughed.

“I’m too old to get out of a moving car that ye are driving,” Merlin replied. “I’m going to nap so I don’t have to see you weaving about.”

“I’m not that bad,” Harry muttered and realized he was drifting into a different lane and corrected.

*******************************************

“What is that fool doing?” Whiskey asked. “He’ll get noticed!”

“Surely there are other dragons about,” Roxy protested. 

“Yes, but they tend to fly in evening or at night,” Whiskey explained.

“That is the most common time yes,” Percival agreed, “but that doesn’t mean it is the only flight time.” He looked at the sky and saw Eggsy swirling about. “And he was denied flight for too long. His body is still equalizing.”

“Yeah?” Whiskey was curious. There had been hits but never the full story. “You said he had been locked up?”

“In a sense,” Percival replied. He and Roxy exchanged a look as Whiskey drove and there were whole paragraphs in that look. They wouldn’t share too many details about Eggsy. “It is his story to tell.”

“Sure, sure,” Whiskey agreed. “So I’m a bit fae. Distraction charms are my best. But you witches are real impressive.”

“Thank you,” Percival replied. “Tell me about some of your best work.” Whiskey seemed like the sort to enjoy telling tales and sure enough a couple hours passed and all of a sudden in the middle of nowhere smoke started to poor from the bonnet of the car.

“Shit,” Whiskey cursed and pulled them over. Harry pulled up behind them and Whiskey lifted the bonnet. He waved the smoke away and cursed. “Looks like the radiator blew a line.” He looked at the group. “Well, can you magic up a radiator hose?”

“Nae,” Merlin said. “But I can fly to a town and get us one.”

Whiskey nodded. “Sure. Fine.” He pulled out his phone and they looked at the map and then Merlin changed in the middle of the highway and almost caused a multi-car pile up as he shot into the sky.

“Hope that was quick enough,no one caught any vid of it,” Whiskey muttered and they all watched Eggsy take off after Merlin, flying in circles around him.

“Harry the car isn’t the only thing with a bit of smoke,” Percival pointed out. Harry nodded and retrieved his umbrella for some shade.

“What the hell was that?” Whiskey asked and made sure to be a few paces away from Harry.

“I believe my pure line was mentioned. Means I am even more susceptible to the sun that other full blood born.” Harry shrugged. “Won’t catch on fire, but I will smoke a fair bit.”

“That ain’t natural,” Whiskey said.

“On the contrary it is highly natural.” Harry decided to go for a bit of a walk in the field they were parked next too.

An hour later Eggsy and Merlin were back and they shifted to human still in the sky and dropped to the ground in a roll. “Shit never done that before,” Eggsy said. “Jammed my ankle a little.” Percival hurried to examine him while Whiskey fixed the car. In total they lost two and a half hours of road time.

That was the rest of their drive. Every time they began to catch up something would happen. Construction detour, a storm that was so violent they had to pull over. Just enough that by the time they made it to North Dakota they weren’t ahead of Clara they were barely of a time with her.

But Ginger had been doing her job very carefully and was tracking Clara and had been putting together ideas the whole time.

“This is dead in the water. There’s too little traffic. That guy, Charlie will notice us,” Whiskey snapped. “We wasted our time.”

“No,” Ginger said. “I know where they are going. I tracked some property sales. I am 90% certain I have a location.”

“That ain’t good enough Ginger,” Whiskey snapped. He winced when Roxy hit him hard.

“If Ginger is 90% certain, that is good enough for me.” Roxy replied.

“Thanks,” Ginger said and gave them an address. Whiskey drove there and the team left the car a couple blocks away and moved softly to the location. Sure enough they watched Charlie and Clara go in. Roxy shot Whiskey a smug look.

Merlin studied the schematics Ginger managed to find them. “Standard warehouse but I am guessing it won’t be so standard once we are inside. Two teams?”

They all nodded in agreement and went in. Harry easily subdued the guard at the door and they lifted his security pass. Merlin checked the man’s computers. “Aye, this building goes at least five floors down.” He looked at the monitor. “Here, a lot of power going to this area. A good place to look.”

They find stars and head down three floors and once there split to go north and south. Harry walked and then paused. “This is wrong,” he said.

“What do you mean?” Eggsy asked. He wished he had a weapon and smiled when Merlin handed him a knife. “Bad mojo?”

“When you have two witches and split apart -” Harry began.

“One witch should be with each team,” Merlin finished “We know that, it is standard practice. Why didn’t we employ it for the drive, for here?”

“Whiskey,” Eggsy said and the three men ran down the hall to get to Percival and Roxy. They turned a corner and saw Charlie and Clara.

“River?” Clara asked and paled. “Where’s your girlfriend?”

“Right here,” Roxy said, and uncloaked the magic that let her be invisible. “Charlie. I owe you.”

Charlie smiled and swung out. Roxy easily ducked the punch and swung back, knocking him down. 

“I’m going to kill you,” she snarled.

“No you won’t,” he said and hit a button on his watch that sounded an alarm. They could all here the footsteps coming. Charlie dropped a smoke bomb and grabbed Clara’s arm and ran. He barrelled into Whiskey who tried to stop him but Charlie’s mechanical arm easily swept him away and soon they were too surrounded to care about Charlie.

The Kingsman automatically went into formation and started to fight. They tried to keep Eggsy mostly out of it, but he got a few good hits in.

“There!” Whiskey shouted as he shot a few men. “Look an exit!” 

Percival sent out a wave of magic and the guards were blasted away and the group ran to the door. Whiskey kicked it open and they all went through. But the door at the other end wouldn’t open for brute force or magic.

“Shit they are coming,” Whiskey shouted. “You keep working on that door, I’ve got this.” He disappeared back into the hall guns blazing and the door he had kicked open snapped shut.

The light in the room went from blinding white to blue. The Kingsman went into a circle in the middle of the room, ready to fight.

A smoke shot into the room.

“Don’t breathe yet,” Percival said. “Hold it while I -” He tried to cast to shield them but the smoke blew through the air too quickly and settled into all their lungs and traveled into their bloodstream and they all passed out.


	26. Chapter 26

“Now see, this is going to be fun,” Poppy said and dug into the ice cream sundae she had made. She wished Charlie were here, he’d get a kick out of it, but he was busy keeping an eye on the situation directly. She watched the five feeds of the Kingsman agents now in rooms alone, curious who would wake up first and very curious to see the effects of her drug on full borns. “Ooh this might get messy,” she said and dipped a finger into the chocolate sauce and licked it clean.

***************************

Eggsy woke up slowly, it hurt to open his eyes, and then he realized no, it was just that everything hurt. It was like he could feel every length of muscle, of bone and they all ached. He swore he could hear his blood moving scraping against the walls of his veins, each platelet stabbing at the walls. He screamed and couldn’t hear it. “Merlin,” he whispered, or shouted he couldn’t tell; he thought maybe his ear drums were busted. He managed to open his eyes but the glare in the white room was too much. As he slammed the closed he saw a dark shape in all the painful light. 

It had started walking towards him.

Eggsy scuttled back on the floor until his back hit a wall and he wanted to scream in agony at that pressure against his skin. He realized the blood in his veins wasn’t scraping him open - it was boiling him alive.

“Merlin,” he tried again. “MERLIN!”

He thought he almost heard himself this time.

Eggsy felt cold hands against his skin.

“He won’t save you, Eggsy, my little dragon egg. The Kingsman never save our sorts.” The voice was sad, regretful. It hated to share this truth with Eggsy.

He opened his eyes and saw his father.

Eggsy roared and watched as fire poured out of his mouth and covered his father.

“Oh little egg, burning me won’t stop the truth. They threw me away, they’ll throw you away too.” He reached out to hug Eggsy and Eggsy tried to crawl away. His tears felt so hot they were scalded his cheeks as they fell.

**************************************

Harry woke up hungry. A not uncommon occurrence for most people. But this wasn’t just idle break your fast hunger this was deep in his belly hunger, a hunger that he tried desperately to tame. It was the hunger that called for fresh blood, that thought they were weak for drinking processed from the store.

Harry thought that he could hear the blood moving in every single vein in the whole building. He opened his eyes and everything had a sheen of red to it, and his fangs felt longer than normal, the fangs of old before evolution tamed the blood born. He felt returned to stories of his family from centuries ago, before the bone born had tamed them.

He looked for his mate and snarled. How dare they not put Percival with him, where his mate could offer to slake Harry’s thirst? He looked around the room and couldn’t see a door. That wouldn’t stop him. 

Harry walked slowly around the room, listening, pressing; he sniffed for fresh air. And smelled perfume. He turned around. There was a woman and he didn’t recognize her but she tickled at his mind a little. 

“Hullo,” she said. “You’ve killed my husband and son now, you should just kill me too.” She tilted her neck. “Get yourself all the Unwins. A complete set.” 

“I didn’t kill them,” Harry croaked.He stared at her neck, could see the veins pulsing. “If I am alive, so is Eggsy.”

She laughed and it was such a pretty sound. “No, you killed him the second you freed the monster inside him.” Michelle raked her nails along her neck, streaks of red that didn’t quite break the skin but made Harry’s head swim. “Taste me, sir, get close to what Eggsy tastes like. Maybe there is even a hint of Lee in me. You wanted him didn’t you? Have me and you have what Lee once had.” Another pass and there was a drop of blood.

Harry ran forward.

********************************************

Roxy opened her eyes and she was in pure darkness. Never had it been this dark. She knew spaces could exist with the absence of light but she had never been without. She didn’t like the dark. She cast, tried to call to the moon but nothing happened. Roxy stared at her hands in horror. She cast rock fists, nothing. A ball of fire, the first spell she had mastered and there wasn’t even a flicker. 

Roxy let out one sob, before she tried to collect herself. They had been drugged. It was likely temporary. She had to get out, to find the others. But she would try once more.

10 times more.

20 times more.

She heard a scuttling in the darkness.

Whispers in it.

Of who knew what. 

Roxy tried to centre herself and find the well of power that had been there as long as she could remember.

She cast and cast and tears fell as nothing happened and the scuttling sound grew louder.

****************************************

Percival woke up when the room shook. It kept shaking and he could feel the wall at his back absorbing power. Roxy. He could feel her spells in his soul. Of course his girl was trying to get free. And he could help. He need to assess the room.

No windows or doors. Of course. But if they put him in, there had to be a way out. His eyes kept drifting past a corner, wouldn’t linger until his forced them to. What didn’t they want him to see there? He couldn’t get his sight to linger though.

He walked over but his feet always veered away and he ended up back where he had begun. He cast and his magic flew from his fingers easily. Too easily. He stopped and looked at the charred wall. He forgot that corner momentarily and tried to cast the black goo into his hand that he often used in a fight. He wanted it to be palm sized. In a second it was the size of a basketball and he couldn’t dispel it. 

Percival threw it against the wall and watched in horror as it grew and crawled. He cast to freeze it and it did, and it lowered the temperature of the room by twenty degrees. He wrapped his arms around himself, determined not to cast again.

He never told anyone how strong he was. He was scared of how strong he was. Percival buried his magic into science, into the lab, hoping that not being used fully it would weaken. He tried to focus his eyes on that corner that he was sure held answers and they skittered away. He cursed and slammed his hands against the ground.

Fissures in the floor spread out from his fingers, cracks that could take the whole building down if he just let go. His heart just wanted him to let go.

Percival began to rock back and forth and tried to hold in the magic screaming to get out.

*******************************************

Merlin woke up and tried to stand and immediately fell over.

The legs Percival had created for him were gone. 

He roared and tried to transform and it hurt in a way it never had. He tried to pull his power back into himself but he couldn’t. All he could do was freeze it half way between and the weight of his dragon’s wings pinned him to the ground, the rest of him stuck human.

“Eggsy,” he whispered, begged.

He tried to crawl and gave up.

****************************************

Poppy giggled and clapped. “Oh my sainted aunt, but this is fun.” She looked at all the screens, at all the hallucinations, the damage they were doing to themselves. Poppy picked up her phone. “Charlie, sweetie, tell me you guys are watching this.”

“Course we are Poppy, because sooner or later one of them is going to break out. Also we are cleaning up the mess that cowboy created. He killed a lot of people and escaped.”

“Don’t worry about the cowboy,” Poppy said. “And trust me I designed that drug. It will kill them before they escape.” She watched the footage of Roxy burning the room around her as she screamed about her magic not working. “I bet that one first.”

Charlie smiled as he watched the screen. “Yeah, that will be fun.” 

“Oh and Charlie,” Poppy said in a sing song voice. “You know you need to take care of that situation that took you to North Dakota in the first place. I understand how hard love is, but really we do have rules.”

“Already did, Poppy,” Charlie said. He had used Clara as a shield when that cowboy started firing at them before he ran out of the building.

“Good boy,” Poppy replied. “Oh the vampire keeps running in circles, that’s so funny.”

Charlie nodded a bit. “Yeah, funny.”

“Enjoy!” she said cheerfully and hung up to focus on watching.

********************************************

“Dad?” Eggsy kept his eyes closed. The room hurt too much to look at. His dad hurt too much to look at. “Dad you were trapped in hell or a dimension or something I don’t know. Harry said you closed the door.”

Those cold hands touched his skin. “No son, he did. And he never tried to open it. He trained me, flirted with me, and then when push came to shove - he shoved. Do you know how much I’ve hurt?” Lee’s voice began to climb. “Years of torture and pain and the worst was being apart from you. Not showing you how to fly.”

“That was Mum’s fault, not Harry’s,” Eggsy said. Maybe he still couldn’t hear his own voice, just his dad’s. He opened his eyes and then covered them again. Lee was grey, eyes sunken, green cracks in his skin. Not at all like Eggsy had lit him on fire.

“And she wouldn’t have done that if Harry, if the Kingsman, hadn’t betrayed me.” Lee wrapped his arms around him. “Do you really think you matter to them? You were a puzzle to solve. And they’ll put you in a box and forget you, now that you have been solved. Eggsy, forget them, let me take care of you. We can fly together son.” Lee’s mouth was next to his ear. “Don’t you want to fly with me, like you dreamed of, like I promised?”

Eggsy’s blood sang in his veins, demanding he try to turn. That all the pain he was feeling would stop if he just stopped holding on. He looked at his dad, “You promised.”

“I did, and the Kingsman broke that promise not me,” Lee said. Something seeped out of his ear. “Fly with me, little egg.”

Eggsy started to reach for his dragon.

*****************************************

“I thought full blood born were fast,” Michelle said. 

“We are, but you keep moving,” Harry snarled. He lunged again and she disappeared again. “Let me eat you!” he roared.

“I’m trying,” she said. “You deserve a complete set. All the Unwins dead under your hand.” She started to rake her fingers over her neck until streams of blood began to pour. “Come on, Galahad, just take. You always take and take and take. My husband, my son. Look how much you take from your friends and never give back. Think about what Percival gives you and you don’t return.”

Harry froze, his eyes never leaving the blood that poured from her neck, that was filling the floor of the room. “He offers.”

“Because he thinks he has to,” she said. “Because you would take anyways.”

“I wouldn’t,” Harry said. The blood was up to his ankles and he wanted to sink into it, bathe in it.

“You would, I’ll show you.” Michelle disappeared through a wall and Harry could somehow still hear here, promising that if he just got through, all the blood could be his.

Harry went to the wall. It felt cold and soft, he started to punch and ram his shoulder into it. He made a noise deep in his throat as he felt it start to give way.

Michelle would suffer for the lie, he didn’t take from Percival.

But he would take from her.

****************************************

The scuttling got louder and she couldn’t stop it. She felt so weak even though none of her spells were landing. She should only feel this week after a battle. If no magic was pouring out, she shouldn’t be in this much pain.

The scuttling noise was circling her, it came in pulses, it taunted her.

Roxy cast again. It would work or she would die trying.

She hoped maybe her bottled up magic would explode and kill her before whatever was in the dark did.

*****************************************

Percival heard a noise, not the magic that was rocking the room behind him, but from that corner he couldn’t look at it. No, not the corner the wall next to it. “Hello?” he called out. His magic begged him to reach to it. But he held himself fast. The room was so cold.

The wall began to grow a hole, and he crawled towards it, it was surely one of the team. And they could escape. The boards were bending and his hands went out before he could stop them and his magic tugged at the wall and collapsed half of it. There was a terrifying creak from the ceiling. 

And there was Harry.

“Harry, no!” Percival said. “Don’t come near me, my magic is unleashed.”

Harry tilted his head. “You sound funny, Michelle.”

Percival looked at him. His eyes were red and his fangs were down. “Harry, go, find the others. Leave me behind. Just get them out.”

“No, there is no escaping this time,” Harry crooned. “Come here, Mrs Unwin, and I’ll give you what you are begging for.”

“Mrs. Unwin?” Percival said. “Harry, it is me, Alistair. Harry you have to go, my magic, I can’t hold it back.”

“Look at all that blood you are spilling. You won’t taste as good as Percival, but I bet you will fill the hunger inside well enough.” Harry was stalking closer to him and Percival realized that Harry was hallucinating.

And going to eat him.

Percival closed his eyes and face the corner he swore he couldn’t see. He felt Harry touch him, pull him close and tilt his head to expose his neck. Percival opened his eyes and could see the corner, see the vent in the ceiling that could be an exit.

Harry’s teeth sank into his neck and he closed his eyes again.

The power was in him to cast to push Harry away, but he was too volatile and could hurt Harry. Harry didn’t know how strong his magic was. Unless that was a hallucination as well. But he couldn’t risk it.

He let Harry drink.

The pain grew immeasurable and Percival screamed.

Harry stopped for a moment, like he knew it wasn’t Michelle and then he began again.

******************************************

Merlin tried to crawl but his wings weighed him down. He could barely breathe. He wondered if he would suffocate under the weight of them. And what did it matter, he had no legs to run and help his mate.

Eggsy.

The thought of him had Merlin trying to push up but he collapsed. His shoulders were in agony, his skeleton deformed.

And the world shook.

Magic. He realized how much magic he could feel in the air. Roxy and Percival. His team. And if they were pouring out that much what was happening to Harry?

What was happening to his mate?

He tried to crawl again but the wings banged against the wall and one felt like it broke. He screamed. Merlin’s heart screamed. And for a moment he almost could feel Eggsy.

*************************************

“Oooh,” Poppy said. “Here we go!” She leaned forward. The fires she had cast were almost at the young witch, and the blood born was going to bleed the other one dry. If Eggsy turned, he’d collapse the room onto himself, crushing him. And the other bone born looked like he was about to have a heart attack the way he rolled on the ground and clutched his arm. This drug was really great. Hallucinations that interacted with born status and affected the physical form? Too much fun.

***************************************

Eggsy looked at his father and called to himself, ready to transform. “Dad?”

“Eggsy let’s fly,” Lee said.

“Why aren’t you shifting?” Eggsy almost heard those words.

“We’ll shift at the same time,” Lee promised. “You’ve never flown, like you’ll fly with me.”

“Fly with Merlin,” Eggsy said. “We should wait, fly with him.” Eggys flew with his mate. “Merlin,” he said and felt an answering call deep inside him. Lee disappeared for a moment and then reformed into a full dragon. “Dad,” he whispered in awe. He looked around the white room. It was bigger now. How’d it get big enough to fit his dad in dragon form? “Dad?” 

Eggsy felt sick. He coughed and coughed and soon began to vomit. The more he vomited the more Lee flickered. Dragon, human, gone. When he closed his eyes he could hear screams. He knew those voices.

“Dad,” he whispered. “Go help them.” The words came out in between the bile.

“No, they have taken enough,” Lee said. “Let them die.”

Eggsy didn’t answer that, just crawled away from his vomit, tried to get nearer the screams, that was Roxy. His friend.

And she needed him.

“Sorry, Dad,” Eggsy said and tried to bang on the wall. “Roxy?” he shouted. “Can you hear me?” 

Lee came up behind him and tried to wrap him in a hug. Eggys banged on the wall and felt the warm. Fire.

Fire. He had to save Roxy.

“They aren’t worth saving,” Lee told Eggsy.

“They are to me,” Eggsy said. He began to throw up some more. If he could just stop he could do this. He banged on the wall some more and realized the room wasn’t as bright white. It was just an empty room. And there was a door. He crawled to it, through the bile and through the image of his father to try to open it.

“So you betray me, just like they did.”

“Yeah, I guess I do. I’m a Kingsman, a life to save another,” Eggsy said and stood up and began to kick at the door handle.

****************************************

“Charlie,” Poppy said when she called him. 

“I know, a team is going.”

Poppy hung up. It seemed getting sick had cleared his head a little. But he’d be too late to save his friends. It would be fine.

*****************************************

Harry drank and it felt so good on his tongue.

Michelle tasted so familiar.

A taste that soothed his soul in the way only one blood ever had. 

His love.

Harry tore his fangs out and watched Percival fall to the ground and screamed. Blood was sluggishly pouring from the wounds.

Harry knelt and held him. “Oh god, oh god, oh god,” he begged. He covered the wound with his hand. “Percival, Alistair, cast, you can fix this.”

Percival opened his eyes. “Can’t. Could hurt you. Magic is too wild now. It might consume you.”

“Then let it,” Harry replied. He pressed Percival’s hand to the wound as well, the blood covering both their fingers. “Let it.”

Percival cast and the magic exploded in the room, enveloping them both.

*******************************************

The scuttling sound changed as the room rocked around her.

It wasn’t scuttling. It was raging. 

Roxy closed her eyes only to realize they had been closed this whole time. That she had never opened them. She pried her lids open and saw the flames all around her. How soon she was going to be killed by her own work.

She tried to cast water but was just too weak. Roxy managed a protective bubble and didn’t know how long it would last. She could see the door a metre of fire between her and it. Roxy didn’t care, she walked towards it. The heat was unbearable but the bubble protected her from the flames. 

The handle was red hot, would likely burn her to the bone. And she didn’t have the strength to rock fist her way through. She had enough left for maybe one force push and to pray it didn’t collapse the bubble around her. 

Roxy screamed as she grabbed the handle and cast all her strength into getting it open. She fell through the door, flames licking at her feet, her hand almost completely ruined. But the bubble held until she felt hands pulling her away and she passed out.

**********************************************

Merlin felt around in his belt. All other weapons had been taken but they missed one. A tiny dull cheese spread knife, Hazel, that Eggsy had used once and he stole. It was a useless thing, but he kept it on him.

He pulled it out from behind his belt buckle and tried to saw at the broken wing, a futile gesture but maybe it would work.

Only there was nothing there to hack at. There were no wings. 

Merlin paused, he could feel the weight crushing him but when he reached out to cut nothing was there.

And maybe if nothing was there, something else was. He forced himself to curl into a ball and stabbed the dull knife into his calf. It hurt, a dull distant pain but it was there. It meant the legs Percival created for him were there. 

It meant he could walk.

Standing took more energy that he knew he possessed but he did. It felt like he was dragging his wings behind him. Merlin used the small knife to break open his door.

“Eggsy,” he said. He saw Eggsy dragging Roxy away from fire and tried to help. “Eggsy,” he whispered.

“She’s hurt bad,” Eggys said. His voice was hoarse, throat aching from the vomiting. “And I don’t know about -”

A different door flung open, kicked by Harry unable to stand against his strength, no matter how reinforced. His mouth was covered in blood and he was carrying Percival who was unconscious.

They all came together, and the three surrounded their two moon born compatriots, trying to protect them. They heard running and Charlie was there with a team.

“You ruined Poppy’s fun. You shouldn’t have overcome that drug,” he said. He cocked his gun. “I really hate all of you.”

Eggsy made sure that he was well in front of Roxy, ready to die for the Kingsman. “Fuck you, bruv.”

Charlie raised a hand and the team with him all aimed.

Merlin reached for Eggsy’s hand and didn’t let go. Harry covered Percival with his body.

“Woo boy, this would be a pickle if I didn’t have this!” Whiskey shouted from behind the Kingsman. “Sorry fellas it took me so long, this place is a damn maze.” Merlin turned and looked over and saw Whiskey with a string of grenades that he tossed at Charlie and his men. They all broke and ran. There was an impressive sound of an explosion but nothing actually happened, the grenade belt just sat harmless on the ground.

“Now that is my best distraction yet,” Whiskey said and moved forward and picked up Roxy. “But we have maybe five minutes to get the hell out of dodge. Whoever can move, how about you get your ass in gear.”

Harry picked up Percival and Merlin and Eggsy helped each other up.

Whiskey heroically lead the way and they managed a surprisingly easy escape and Whiskey drove them away in a stolen van.

*********************************

Poppy pouted a little that her drug didn’t work, but there was still lots of fun to be had. 


	27. Chapter 27

Roxy didn’t hurt. That was either a very good or very bad sign. She opened her eyes carefully was relieved when she saw a medical room. “Hello?” she tried to say but her voice wasn’t there, her mouth was so dry. A straw was held up to her lips and she took a small drink before it was pulled away. She turned her head to see who held the cup and smiled. “Hello, pretty one,” she whispered.

Ginger gave her a smile. “Flirting even now? I think that is a good sign.”

“If I don’t flirt with you, assume I am dead and someone has possessed my body,” Roxy replied. “My team?”

Ginger stroked Roxy’s hair. “Do you know as each of you wakes up, no Kingsman has asked about themselves first. They have asked if everyone else is fine.”

“Are they?”

“Merlin and Eggsy were dehydrated, some strained muscles. Hydrated them up and Tequila has taken them to the quarry, they need to fly.” Ginger paused and fiddle with machines. “Harry is fine. No lingering effects and he...well, physically he is fine. But he has barricaded himself in a room and isn’t talking to anyone.”

Roxy tried to sit up and was just too weak. “Why?” 

Ginger couldn’t look at Roxy. “His hallucination made him drink directly from Percival and he almost killed him.”

“Fuck. My uncle is he?”

“He’s in the next room, he woke up to ask about everyone and fell back asleep. He is pretty weak, we’ve given him a transfusion.” Ginger looked at Roxy. “I promise he will be fine.”

Roxy nodded relieved. “He’s going to be pissed that Harry isn’t at his side.”

Ginger’s eyes widened. “But Harry almost killed him.”

“Meh,” Roxy said and tried to wave a hand to dismiss that. And saw that her had was encased in a weird gel mitten. “What the hell?”

“Your hand was burned,” Ginger said. “Third degree,” she swallowed heavily. “Almost to the bone in some spots.” 

Roxy could almost see it through the gel. “So what’s the mitt for?”

“Protect it, stimulate healing, you’ll need grafts,” Ginger said. “We have these nanites that can help the healing but…”

Roxy looked at the glove, “also pumping it full of numbing and pain killers?” Ginger nodded. “Can we just keep it on until my uncle is stronger.”

“Grafts would heal better the soon we can perform the surgery,” Ginger said. “I don’t know how long he’ll take to recover.”

“We’ll keep the glove on until he is ready and then he and I will take care of it,” Roxy said.

“Roxy magic can do incredible things, but you should trust me to -”

“I trust him,” Roxy said. “I’m sorry Ginger, and I am grateful for everything you are doing right now for all of us, but in this, I trust him.”

“Magic to regrow skin? To heal a wound that deep?” Ginger shook her head, “That isn’t possible.”

“Who said anything about skin?” Roxy felt tired.

“I don’t understand,” Ginger said, frustrated. “You need to let me fix you. I can do it.”

Roxy started to slip into sleep again. “You really don’t see who we are yet, do you?” She closed her eyes. “Your frustrated face is cute,” she added before passing out.

Ginger cursed under her breath. She would go check on Percival and was sure he’d agree with her when he woke up.

*****************************

“Merlin?” Eggsy had run up a rock ready to jump and fly but Merlin was just standing there. Tequila looked at Eggsy and disappeared when Eggsy tilted his head. Eggsy walked back over to Merlin. “Babe? Let’s fly.” 

Merlin shook his head. “I cannae,” he said. He leaned his forehead against Eggsy’s. “What if -”

“Babe...what happened to you in North Dakota?” Eggsy asked. He had tried to get Merlin to share but the man had just said it was done and didn’t matter. But that clearly was not the case.

“I got stuck mid transformation,” Merlin said softly. “My wings came out of my shoulders and that was it. I was stuck on the ground being crushed under my own weight.”

“Oh, baby,” Eggsy crooned. He cupped Merlin’s cheeks. “Merlin you know that was just our brains being fucked up by the drugs. You won’t get stuck half way. That doesn’t happen to full bone born, not ever. That’s horror movie crap.”

“I heard you and tried to cut them off with a cheese spread knife of yours I nicked,” Merlin said. He wrapped his arms around Eggsy and held him tight.

“Jesus babe, hardcore much? You can’t do that to yourself,” Eggsy said.

“To get to you? To save ye Eggsy, I would do anything,” Merlin promised.

“Don’t say that,” Eggsy replied quickly. Shakily. “Don’t make that promise, when you know you’ll have to break it.”

“Eggsy?” Merlin looked at him. “You said you saw your father. What happened?”

“Harry loved him, and Harry let him die,” Eggsy said. “It’s the fate of a Kingsman yeah? Or at least a possible fate. So don’t promise when you’d sacrifice me to save the world.”

“No, Eggsy,” Merlin said. “Harry didn’t love your father.”

“I’ve heard the way he talks about him, Merlin,” Eggsy said. “He wanted him.”

“Aye, he was a bit infatuated. He flirted knowing nothing would happen that Lee was devoted to your mother. But he didn’t love him. I remember him with Lee and I see him with Percival and there is a vast difference.” Merlin stroked Eggsy’s hair. “Let me guess. Your brain said that Harry didn’t try to help, maybe even forced the situation where Lee died?” Eggsy gave a small nod. “I can’t answer that. I wasn’t there, only Harry was. I can tell you Harry was incredibly torn up afterwards. He drank intoxicated blood, went out and fought, was a mess.”

“Guilt or grief?” Eggsy asked.

“Both?” Merlin suggested. “Harry didn’t kill your father, Eggsy.”

“But he didn’t save him either,” Eggsy said. “And you guys are training me to make the same types of choices. You are saying that you wouldn’t make that choice? And honestly, Merlin that pisses me off. Because I think it is right. Because you all have me thinking greater good, and the world and just...don’t promise me.”

“I can at least promise to try. Give me that lad,” Merlin said. “Let me promise to try to save ye.”

Eggsy nodded. “I can live with that promise. Give the same to you, yeah?”

Merlin kissed him. “I appreciate that I have a mate wiser than me.”

“Wise enough to do this,” Eggsy agreed and yanked Merlin back so they fell over the edge of the quarry. The both seemlessly transformed to dragons as they fell. Merlin pushed Eggsy away and blew smoke at him and flew among the rocks. Eggsy let out a dragony laugh and chased him, zigzagin about. 

Eventually Merlin let Eggsy nose boop him as they flew.

******************************************

Harry heard an insistent knock at his door. He did his best to ignore it, and the fact that he was hungry. He wanted to never be hungry again. He licked his dry lips and swore he could still feel Percival’s pulse against them. “Go away, please,” Harry said to the knocking that wasn’t stopping.

“Hey look, not my idea,” Whiskey said. “But Champ insists you need to eat at some point. Got a real fine bottle for you here.”

“I’m not hungry.” I don’t want to be hungry, Harry thought, even as his stomach rumbled.

“Well, I’ll just leave this here, for when you are,” Whiskey said. “You know, probably good you are keeping private right now. Someone leaked how you tore up that other agent. People plenty scared you now have a taste for fresh, bit too much. I’m sure you have yourself under control though now. Only those nasty drugs. They wouldn’t have awakened a centuries old hunger in you, like how they are waking up the latent dna in people. Enjoy your blood.” Harry could hear Whiskey whistling as he walked away

When it was all quiet he pulled the bottle into the room and locked the door again. He clutched it but didn’t open it. It was a nice enough room they had put him up in. He never had to leave again.

********************************************

Percival woke up and sighed. Still in a medical bed, still no Harry. Right he was done with this. He hit the call button and Ginger came running in. 

“Are you hurting?” she asked and began to study all his readings.

“No, I am just done with medical,” he said.

“You need more rest, the transfusion has done well, but still,” she began. She watched as he removed his i.v. and the monitors on himself and sat up. “You can’t do this.”

“Get me a wheelchair if you are so worried, but I am going to the lab,” he said and stood. He was wobbly and weak but that would be fixed soon enough. There were clothes on a chair and he shambled over and put them on while Ginger was gone. She came with the wheelchair and tried to protest yet again but Percival had a formidable glare and at least he allowed her to wheel him to the lab.

The lab techs all looked at him. “Sir, should you be up and about?”

“I’m not,” Percival replied. “I’m sitting and about.”

The one stared at his neck which was now rather scared. “Sir, that vamp got you good.”

Percival’s hands glowed and the techs froze. “My partner was drugged and hurt and things happened. If I hold him no ill will, neither will you.”

“He almost killed you and he’s still your boyfriend?” The girl was in shock. “Nu-uh, you dump his ass right here and now, sir.”

“I appreciate your concern,” Percival said. “But I could have stopped him, I chose not to. And he and I will resolve that.”

“No offense, you are really cool and have good magic, but can’t go up against a vamp that hungry and win,” the other tech said.

Percival just gave them a look. “You still don’t see do you?”

“Roxy said something similar,” Ginger added. “What aren’t we seeing?”

“You see the strength of a full blood born, you watch the bone born in the sky in awe and weep at their mightiness,” Percival rolled himself over to the cauldron and lit the fire under it with a flick of a wrist. “And see us in our perfectly fragile bodies and think us the lesser of the team.” He stood up and pulled items from the cupboard and began adding them to the cauldron. He grabbed a needle and drew his own blood and added it to the mix. The cauldron was bubbling, roiling a mix of colours and somehow sounds that hurt their ears. He smiled and plunged his hands in and they all screamed in shock.

The mixture crawled up his arms and swirled around his body and slid back into the cauldron. He dipped a flask in and bottled some. “What you fail to see is that Roxy and I are the ones to be scared of. They are never holding back. I always am.” He smiled and looked completely refreshed and normal. “Now let’s set Roxy to rights, and then I’ll attend to my blood born partner.”

He walked out of the lab and Ginger and the techs just looked at each other.

“Shit,” the girl whispered. Ginger just nodded and went to follow Percival. He walked with confidence to Roxy’s room and knocked on her door. 

“Come in,” Roxy called. She sighed in relief when she saw her uncle looking well. “Uncle Ally,” she said. It was something she hadn’t called him in years. “You’re ok.”

“I am, and you will be as well, soon enough,” he said. He handed her the flask. “Drink up.”

“That has your blood in it, that is not safe!” Ginger shouted. 

Roxy drank it all down. “Ahh,” she said as the rejuvenation slid through her. “The potion neutralizes any concerns from that, Ginger. It is an old family spell. We have always gotten injured.”

Ginger watched as Roxy’s skin flushed with health. She went over and removed the monitors. “What about your hand?” Ginger asked.

“Just watch,” Roxy said. “And think healing thoughts.”

Ginger nodded and sat beside Roxy, holding the unburned hand. Percival slipped the gel glove off and nodded to Ginger. “You did good work here.” There had been black flesh and bone when they arrived, and her gel and nanites had healed some of it. But not enough. “Roxy? Metal would interfere with your casting. Wood isn’t an option. You know the flesh will never feel the same. Harry complains about the weight of the eye we grew him.”

“Ivory,” she said. She stared at the glimpse of bone she could see. “The bone is already there, after all.”

Percival nodded and began to chant. He held her hand so delicately in the cup of his palms. A tear fell for the pain she must of felt, and his pride in her that she kept fighting. He chanted in a tongue that Ginger had never heard, and made her soul want to weep and dance at the same time. And when Roxy joined in, Ginger felt unbearably aroused.

The room smelled like spring and growth, and the sounds of elephants echoed. Ginger could swear she smelled cardamon and tumeric. She watched the magic swirl in large circles that grew tighter and somehow stronger, heavier. Soon it was just a swirling ball over Roxy’s hand. “Ready?” Percival asked.

Roxy nodded and took her other hand back from Ginger. Percival moved a hand as well and the two linked their fingers just above the ball of light. They both took a breath and shouted a word that hurt Ginger’s ears as it rang out and then they brought their hands down hard and slammed that ball of magic into Roxy’s burned and almost dead hand.

Roxy wept as the magic was absorbed into her, her body not having the extra endurance that Merlin’s did, and this was slightly different magic. She needed to be able to have her magic flow through her, the missing skin, couldn’t just be replaced and more the nerve endings all had to fire. If she was to do her job she couldn’t have that distant feeling that Merlin had. 

In a few minutes all the magic was absorbed and they moved their hands away.

Ginger stared in horror. “What did you do?” she asked. She waited for Roxy to wail, to be upset, to be enraged.

“I look like Great Great Great Great Aunt Beatrix in the portrait in the south wing,” Roxy said staring at her hand.

“She was always your hero,” Percival agreed. “Tap thumb to each finger.” He watched her and nodded. “Good, flick water.” Roxy did the gesture. “Excellent. Now cast a flame just with that hand.” Roxy flinched. “No, Roxy. Your fire ruined your hand and almost killed you. That doesn’t mean you should be afraid of it.”

“Excuse me!” Ginger said. “You...you…” Shouldn’t could think of an insult great enough but she was getting him out of here. 

Roxy cast a small flame. The light shone over her hand, the pure white reflecting it beautifully. Roxy closed her fist and it was gone. The white, went to her wrist bone. It wasn’t the white of her skin, but white of a china doll, perfect cold white, the veins gold. She had thought it would come out the duller of ivory but still the sheen was fascinating. Her aunt’s arm had looked like this to the elbow. She cast her rock fist and enjoyed the different colour. There was a hum to it, the spell casting just a little off, but she would adjust with practice. She looked at the palm and you couldn’t tell where the skin had melted away.

“Thank you,” she told her uncle. “Thank you.” 

He pulled her into a tight hug. “Go find a proper bed and rest,” he told her. “Ginger has one available I am sure.” He gave Ginger a polite nod and left them to talk.

“Wanna go have a nap?” Roxy asked. She yawned. “And I really hate that I mean nap. That was old magic, took a lot out of me.”

“Your hand,” Ginger said. “What did you do?”

Roxy looked at it. “Hard to explain. But we cast to the bone we could see and called to all the bone the world over to help heal me? Picture a tiny microscopic fleck of bone shared from people and creatures the world over attuned to magic. Only it called more than expected and changed my hand. Always is a bit of a tricky spell. You can study it if you like.”

Roxy reached out and cupped Ginger’s cheek. 

Ginger leaned into the touch. “I thought it would be cold.”

“No, bone warms against skin,” Roxy said. “Can we get out of here and cuddle.”

“Your uncle might terrify me,” Ginger said. 

“Good, you’re learning,” Roxy replied. They got up and Roxy indulged Ginger and let her carry some of Roxy’s weight to the bedroom.

****************************************************

They were a good bit away from Tequila deep into the quarry when Merlin shot up into the sky and turned and went back to Eggsy. It was a tighter and faster movement than Eggsy was used to from Merlin and when he meant to stop he crashed into Merlin.

Merlin pulled Eggsy in against him and brought them down to the bottom of the quarry. He looked up and couldn’t see the truck or Tequila. He rubbed his snout against Eggsy’s and blew smoke when Eggsy did the same. He rumbled in his throat, “Eggsy,” he said. It was a gravely strange noise that no human would understand but Eggsy did and he bumped against Merlin again.

Merlin could feel Eggsy ready to shift to human and shook his head. “No,” he rumbled and Eggsy tilted that small and perfect golden head. Merlin tilted his head and his long, thin tongue licked under Eggsy’s jaw.

In his shock, Eggsy breathed fire onto Merlin who practically purred at the feeling. He reached out and rubbed a wing against Eggsy’s and he smiled as well as a dragon could when Eggsy collapsed to the floor of the quarry melted from the touch. Merlin walked around and lay perpendicular to Eggsy and let his neck stretch over Eggsy’s. He reached out a claw and scratched at where hide and scale met around wing.

Eggsy almost whined at the feeling and tried to bring them closer together and Merlin pressed down, indicating Eggsy should relax. He blew fire in between Eggsy’s wings and scratched at the scales. “Fucking hell,” Eggsy growled. Merlin scraped away the old scales and occasionally tilted his head to lick a bit at Eggsy. He worked his way down and around right to the end of Eggsy’s tail and then returned to face Eggsy and pressed his snout against Eggsy’s. 

In a blink Merlin was human again and sat on the ground. He pulled Eggsy’s snout into his lap and rubbed the top. “It isn’t dragon sex, but I thought ye might enjoy that.” Merlin hadn’t groomed another dragon in a couple decades, it too intimate for random encounters. He tapped Eggsy’s snout chidingly when Eggsy licked at Merlin’s hard on through his trousers. “Too kinky, Eggsy,” Merlin said.

Eggsy transformed and sat himself in Merlin’s lap. “Too kinky? TOO KINKY? With what you were doing? Sure,” he said and kissed Merlin hungrily. “I’ll get to do that to you, yeah?”

“Aye,” Merlin agreed. They made out desperately on the ground of the quarry, the limestone incredibly uncomfortable and neither caring. Merlin brought them both off quickly and then they lay there and looked up at the sky. “Eggsy?”

“Yeah?” Eggsy asked. 

“Whiskey’s rescue of us was very interestingly timed,” he answered. “The perfect hero moment.”

“I’m not trusting that fucker one bit,” Eggsy said. 

“Good,” Merlin agreed. “We should head back. We’ve left our team alone too long near him.” Merlin felt a little guilty about it, but he had also known that he and Eggsy needed to fly to get the last bit of drug out of their systems.

“Just remember, I get to lick and scratch you up at some point.” Eggys stood up and on the ground could see a bunch of his fallen scales. He picked up a bunch. “This would make a neat gift for Daisy,” he said happily. He reached for his neck and realized the chain was gone. “Merlin?”

“Maybe medical took it off ye,” Merlin said. “I am sure it is at Statesman.”

Eggsy pocketed some of the scales and nodded. That made sense. They transformed and flew back to Tequila who was ready to drive them home.

**********************************************

“Percy! Where you headed?” Whiskey asked.

“To talk to Harry.” Percival kept moving, not wanting to give the agent any of his time.

“Damn, that’s mighty brave of you,” Whiskey said. “Don’t know if I could go face him, when he’s getting hungry again. Well unless that’s a kink for you two. Hey I don’t judge. Or maybe you are looking to extract a little revenge?” 

Percival paused. “Exact you moron. And this is between Harry and I. Run along.”

“Sure, don’t want to get in the middle of no domestic.” Whiskey walked away whistling. “Good luck, you’ll need it.”

Percival rolled his eyes, he was really looking forward to them getting to kill that man. But right now Harry was his priority. He went to the room that they had been staying in and knocked. “Harry?”

“No,” Harry said. “Please, just…” Harry couldn’t think of the words. “Just walk away from me.”

Percival cast a spell and the door easily opened for him. He went and in and locked them in together. He sat on the floor by the door. “Hello, Harry.”

Harry was on the bed, hair uncombed, stubble, and he had clearly slept in his shirt. He was a mess. “You shouldn’t be with me,” Harry whispered.

“Why not?” Percival countered. He didn’t like seeing Harry so broken. He stood and went to the small ensuite. He returned carrying a few things. He put them on the bed and reached for Harry. Harry tried to scramble away, and knocked the bowl of warm water over. 

“Don’t! You don’t know what I’ll do!” Harry put himself in the corner. “I can hear your blood.” His eyes went red before they returned to normal. “Now that I’ve had it, I can hear it.”

“Interesting,” Percival said. “I trust you’ll let me study your brain in the lab a bit? And of course blood samples and a cheek swab.”

“You joke right now? I could kill you. I almost killed you.”

Percival nodded. “You did, because I let you.”

“She said,” Harry swallowed. “The hallucination said I take and take. That you only offer because I would take anyways. That it is a way for you to pretend you have freedom.” Harry closed his eyes, waited for Percival to deny it or to walk away, or he didn’t know what. He certainly did not expect his boyfriend to start giggling like a loon. Harry felt offended. “I pour my fear out to you, my trauma and you laugh?” He straightened his shoulders and realized how vile the shirt he was wearing was. He stripped it off and stalked past Percival to the bed. He reached for the wet flannel and wiped himself down and combed his hair and went to find a new shirt. He ignored the way Percival kept giggling. He put on the shirt and the tie and his guns. He felt better.

“Harry,” Percival said in between giggles. He had to hold up a hand as he tried to compose himself. “Harry of course you take. You are a high born man. Not just status of blood born, but of the peerage. Your family hasn’t know poverty since the Plague. You’ve never not had what you wanted.”

“Your family is similar,” Harry replied stiffly. “And I don’t want to take from you.”

“I take from you,” Percival countered and he watched Harry frown. “I took away your singlehood, you loved being single, and now you have to worry about all these feelings. Just dreadful. I take away your freedom to be reckless in battle, because you worry now about me, about staying alive for me.” Percival moved forward. “You took my blood. Which I had given you before. Freely given. You almost took my life because I chose not to stop you for fear I’d kill you in protecting myself.”

“You couldn’t have stopped me,” Harry countered.

Percival gave him a slow and dark smile. “Oh yes, my love, I very much could have.”

Harry shivered, almost enjoying the arousal that coursed through him. “What is your point, Alistair?”

“You taking my blood, and almost my life?” Percival moved into Harry’s space and tilted his neck in a challenge, an offer. “I’ve taken your soul and claimed it as mine. We’re about even.”

Harry couldn’t think, could hear Percival’s blood, had the scent of him in his nose. He moved in and licked at the scar he had made on Percival’s neck. He sighed and licked again before stepping away. “I won’t take from you.” 

Percival straightened his head and cupped Harry’s cheek. “No, you won’t, not unless I offer.” He kissed Harry gently.

“I am sorry for almost killing you,” Harry said.

“I am sorry for almost letting you,” Percival replied. “I would dearly love to have a proper sample of what we were drugged with. But it was too far gone in our system by the time we returned.”

“You’ll figure it out, you always do,” Harry said. “I need to eat,” Harry admitted.

“I’ll keep you company.” Percival went to the table in the corner and opened the bottle of blood. “You were lucky this was a charmed bottle, otherwise it would have spoiled by now.”

Harry picked up the bottle and looked at the label. “Whiskey brought it by, orders from Champ, he said.” He lifted it to his lips only to have it knocked away, shattered against the wall. “What was that?”

“I honestly am not sure,” Percival said. “But I don’t want you drinking anything that Whiskey offers you.”

Harry looked at the blood on the wall and went over and touched it. He sniffed it and touched a fang to the barest drop of it. “Something is wrong with it.”

Percival quickly gathered a sample. “I need to -”

“Go study it, I’ll consult with Merlin.” 

Percival gave Harry a quick kiss and ran to the labs. Harry put his suit jacket on and went to find Champ. The man was in his office playing online poker.

“Harry, glad to see you out and about.”

“Thank you Champ. And thank you for that blood you sent me,” Harry said.

“I didn’t send you anything,” Champ said. “Ordered the kitchens to hook you up, but didn’t send anything.”

Harry nodded. “Champ, I think we need to have a conversation about Whiskey.”

“This the sort of conversation I’m going to dislike?” Champ asked.

“This is the sort of conversation you are going to hate,” Harry agreed. 

Champ went to the cupboard and got a shotgun. “Well then, let’s talk.”

***************************

“Hey, Whiskey!” Tequila said walking down the hall. “Did you hear, looks like the Kingsman are all going to be fine. Those boys are luckier than anyone else I’ve ever know.” Tequila smiled. “Shoot you even found Eggsy’s necklace there. It’s real important to him. I can take it to him.” Tequila reached out a hand.

“I’ve got this taken care of,” Whiskey said and slammed a hand to Tequila’s mouth, filling it with a powder version of the drug that had dosed the Kingsman. He let Tequila fall to the ground and walked out with Eggsy’s chain. He gripped it tight and wondered why it started to glow. Poppy’s people would figure that out, he was sure.


	28. Chapter 28

Ginger closed the stasis tank around Tequila. “Are you sure there is nothing you can do?” she asked Percival. She knew she should leave it alone but she opened it every few days, just to see him, because maybe the monitors were lying and he was back to normal.

Percival shook his head. “Not until I properly isolate the drug and what it is doing to him. It is taking longer than I expected. It is different than what is going out to the population. And there is something...I am always a piece short on what they do with these drugs.” He looked at Ginger, “If we could just get Roxy and I into one of their labs, I could fix this. Until then I’ll keep working with the sample I pulled from his skin. Maybe I’ll be lucky.” 

“Thank you,” Ginger said and sat beside the stasis tank. She had been spending a good bit of time with Tequila in between breaks in her work. Her team was scrambling to find Whiskey’s trail but he had covered his tracks well.

Percival gave her shoulder a squeeze and let her be. He found Roxy out in the hall. “Any luck my dear?”

“We need in one of their labs, the -”

“The stabilizer on the drug, or lack of it,” he interrupted and she nodded.

“Whatever is keeping the drug ‘alive’ so to speak? That’s what we are missing and without that we can do nothing.” Roxy looked at the door. “She loves him,” she sounded sad. She leaned in when Percival hugged her. “When we are done and return to England, I’ll let her go.”

“Save me from Kingsman nobility.” Percival pinched her ear. “Do hearts not hold all sorts of love? Do you not love Harry, or Merlin, or Eggsy?”

“That’s more,” she gestured to the room.

“Do not be a moron. She loves him the way Harry loves Merlin. Do you see that threatening my relationship with Harry at all?” Percival gave her a look. “Do not make up an excuse because you are scared that you finally found your perfect match.”

“Love hurts so much,” Roxy said. “I stare at her and I ache.”

“Go hold her hand, Roxy.”

“You need help in the lab.”

“20 minutes will honestly not make a difference,” he said and nudged her to the room.

Roxy went in and sat down. She reached out slowly for Ginger’s hand.

“You know the door was open and you were like two feet away?” Ginger said. “I heard all of that.”

“Ah,” Roxy replied.

“Seriously, you guys are just the worst unless you are in the field.”

“We are,” Roxy agreed. She wrapped her hand around Ginger’s. “He’s spent most of his time with Eggsy and Merlin. Tell me about him.”

“He’s annoying, and mouthy, and flirty, and a damn good agent.” Ginger squeezed Roxy’s hand and told her about Tequila.

***********************************

“Eggsy, ye need to stop watching the news,” Merlin said. Eggsy was in a common room and had the telly showing several different news channels. More and more cases were cropping up. They were helping with events near the Statesman but it was feeling like a drop in the bucket. “This is only hurting you.”

“Me?” Eggsy laughed. “It’s hurting them a lot more than me.” One of the channels flipped to video of a man who had sprouted  dragon wings. It was too close to the nightmare Merlin had been stuck in, too close to what he was scared would happen to him. He ran to a bin and threw up.

Merlin cupped the back of his head and had a water battle for Eggsy when he was done. Eggsy rinsed and spit and let Merlin pick him up and carry him to a chair. “How aren’t you more upset?” Eggsy asked.

“I am very upset, Eggsy,” Merlin promised. He turned the telly off. “But my being upset won’t change what is happening the world over. We will find this Poppy and we will end this. Anyone who creates a drug also creates an antidote.”

“Really?”

“Hopefully, and if not, Percival and Roxy will figure it out if they get into a lab.”

“So we find another lab, like the one in the Dakotas,” Eggsy said. “I mean sure that one was destroyed after we escaped but there have to be others. We find one and they fix it.”

“Eggsy, we’ve been looking but they are very good at covering their tracks. We don’t even know how they’ve been getting their product to so many people.”

“Merlin, that could have been me,” Eggsy said. He looked at his mate. “What would have happened to me if I had been given whatever this is, instead of been taken care of by you lot?”

“I don’t know, but it is important not to dwell,” Merlin said, though he had nightmares about this exact thing.

“Merlin, promise me we’re going to destroy, Whiskey, and Charlie, and everyone who murdering people?”

“We will, in the end, we will,” Merlin promised. “And being a part of something like that? You’ll be a full Kingsman.”

“Not exactly been the traditional training route has it?” Eggsy asked.

“No, even for us, this has been odd,” Merlin agreed.

“We should check on Harry,” Eggsy said. “Haven’t seen him much.”

“No lad, we don’t check on Harry right now,” Merlin replied.

“Why?”

“Because he is training.”

“Training?”

“When there is nothing to hunt, but everything is going wrong, he focuses on being ready. It is not a good idea to disturb that.” Merlin held up the tablet Ginger had given him and tapped into the cameras. In the gym, Harry was destroying another body bag. “Let him be.”

Eggsy watched the footage. “Yeah,” he saw the restlessness, the anger in him and understood it. “Yeah.”

“Let’s go for a flight,” Merlin suggested.

Eggsy nodded and they went to a truck.

Harry was in the gym for hours, fighting, readying himself, until Percival came along and took him back to their room. He showered with Harry, let Harry feed from his leg, just a little and wanked into Harry’s mouth and then put the man to bed. They didn’t sleep, sleep was so difficult to find right now, but they at least rested some.

*************************************

Percival threw a beaker against the wall when yet another experiment failed. The cursing was epic enough and his magic wild that the words began to float in the air. The Statesman backed away as dripping smoke of the words  _ walking taint smell fucking bloody cuntpuddle _ started towards them. Roxy just batted the words out of the air.

“Take it nothing?” she asked.

“And that was the last of our sample,” he said. He flared his hands and magic just filled the room, causing no damage but just sitting there for a moment, showing everyone universes far beyond their comprehension before he pulled it back in. “My apologies,” he said.

“Did I just see aliens?” one of the techs asked.

“I saw the 1600s,” another whispered.

Roxy smiled at them. “You imagined it.”

“There are other worlds than these,” the first said. “Stephen King was right, holy shit.”

Percival looked at them. “You did not know he is a prophet?” They stared at him jaws dropped. “Never mind,” he said. “He’s only right about 40% of the dark things in the shadows, no need to worry.” 

The intercom crinkled. “Kingsman up to my office,” Champ’s voice rang through. 

Roxy and Percival bolted for the door. Ginger was already there, and shortly Harry, Merlin, and Eggsy were as well.

“Some whack job hacked all the major stations and said get ready for an announcement,” Champ said. “She was wearing a dress with poppies on it.”

Everyone in the room tensed and waited and a few minutes later Poppy, the woman they had been looking for, was on the telly.

“Hello everyone, I’m Poppy. For the last few weeks you might have seen in the news, or even had a friend or family member go through an...unexpected change.” She smiled brightly. “And you are welcome.”

“Welcome?” Merlin snarled. “Welcome for pain and murder?”

“You should all be so proud of their sacrifice,” she said earnestly. “You see world governments are just so limiting in their understanding of what science needs. Broad stroke clinical trials are so important and now I can tell you, I have studied all the data that has been gained via the world’s population, and I am happy to say we are very close to a cure. My team and I have almost figured out a drug that will release your inner born status. Too long we have grow weak and complacent. It is time for us to all return to who we once were.” 

“She’s insane,” Eggsy said. “And drug trials? That’s what she’s calling it? She’s murdered hundreds to just study them?”

“Now then, like I said, we are close but not all the way there,” she said cheerfully. “And I know how helpful people like to be, and don’t worry you don’t have to ask, you’ve already volunteered to be helpful. If you have bought any vitamin or supplement from this list of companies,” she held up a hand and a list of 8 different companies appeared on the screen, “you have been helping me gain research. Due to the small amount of drug in each dose, you will only be helpful to my research if you’ve been taking these completely useless placebos for a minimum of a month, though children or seniors on these might experience their transform sooner. I know by telling you this, that you will stop taking these pills and powders, but it will too late for enough people that I’ll be okay. Plus I sold all these companies so when their stock plummets, it won’t effect my labs at all.” She laughed and Ginger shivered at the sound. “And once all the data is in and I perfect the transition drug, I’ll put it into a different product, because I own a lot of companies, and then everyone will be free. Won’t that be so much fun?” She giggled and clapped. “Now then, I have to get to work, and so do a lot of you. Remember that your sacrifice is truly appreciated.”

The transmission ended and they were all numb.

“That’s what all this has been about?” Harry asked. He looked at everyone. “How do we stop this?” His gaze landed on Percival. “Stop this please.”

“I want to baby,” Percival said. “I want to very much, but you need to get me into her central location, her personal space, because that is where the answer lies.”

Harry rounded on Champ, “We find Whiskey, we find her. Why can’t you find him?”

“Hell, son, not like I put a tracker in him,” Champ said.

“Yes we did,” Ginger replied.

“And the boy cut it out before he was off property,” Champ replied.

Roxy made a low noise in her throat. “Cut it out? Why didn’t you tell us that. You just said deactivated.”

“What difference does that make?” Ginger asked.

“All the difference,” Percival said. “Take us to it.” He went over and pressed his forehead to Harry’s. “Be ready to hunt my love,” he said.

Harry’s eyes changed colour and his fangs dropped. “I will be.” Percival, Ginger, and Roxy left. Harry looked at Merlin and Eggsy. “Help me ready equipment.” Champ lead them to the armory and a few other places and then they went to wait in Champ’s office, tense, restless.

The three returned, Percival a little pale and Roxy holding him up. “Found him,” he said and coughed. He spilled black ooze from his lips. Champ shuddered in revulsion. Harry went over and licked it away. “Thank you darling,” Percival said.

“Think nothing of it,” Harry replied. “You had to call to the void I take it?”

“There wasn’t much blood left to track, I needed assistance.”

“You’ll stay here, while we go hunting,” Harry said.

Percival glared at him. “Our team does not separate,” he replied. “Not for something like this.”

Harry didn’t protest, he knew he would lose.

“Mexico,” Roxy said. “They are in Mexico.”

Ginger put up a map. “There is a high speed train, and then we can get you a car to -”

Eggsy’s phone rang and everyone paused. “I had that off,” he said. He pulled it out of his pocket and flicked it off. “Weird,” he said. He then looked at the log and realized there had been at least 10 calls from his mum in the last 30 minutes. “Hang on,” he said and went to the far corner while they discussed a travel strategy. “Michelle, kinda busy,” he said, “Can it wait?”

“Dean’s been taking those vitamins,” she said.

Eggsy smiled. “Long enough that he’ll die? You didn’t have to call me to tell me such good news.”

“He’s been on them over a month and he won’t leave the flat.”

Eggsy froze. “Then you leave the flat. You get Daisy out. Mum, I hate you right now, but I don’t want you dead, and I don’t want anything to happen to her. You get out and go to Jamal’s yeah?”

“I will,” Michelle said shakily. “Eggsy…”

“What, Michelle?” Eggsy looked at the team and they were clearly now waiting on him. “I have to go -”

“They were free samples, at the play group I take her to,” Michelle said quickly. “Free and good for her, so I figured why not?”

Eggsy couldn’t feel his toes. He looked at Merlin and his mate was moving towards him. “Mum?” Eggsy whispered.

“Eggsy, Daisy’s been taking the vitamins for two weeks. She said it might affect children sooner? Eggsy what do I do?” Michelle begged.

Eggsy couldn’t answer the phone dropped out of his hand. In a blink He transformed and broke the wall and glass surrounding them. He flew up in the air and screamed in rage and shot fire into the sky. He flew right into the flames and then started south for Mexico not thinking of anything but his sister.


	29. Chapter 29

Merlin stared at them. He looked at the map. He pointed to it and then looked at Roxy and Percival, “Can ye get the three of you to there? About a kilometre away from the source?”

“We can, but without knowing the the location, we could easily end up in the middle of a tree,” Percival said.

“Can we fly with you?” Harry asked.

“I can carry all three of you until we catch up with Eggsy, and in theory one could transfer to him, but there is a good shot he cannae make the whole distance.” Merlin looked at the map again. “I can, and can carry him, human or dragon form.”

“So what do we do?”

Champ looked at them. “You do something stupid.” He smiled. “You trust our tech.”

“Champ, I’m still testing the controls,” Ginger said.

“They’ve been showing off plenty, time for you to show off too,” he said.

Merlin was restless, he could almost feel the pain that Eggsy was in. “I don’t care, I need to follow him. Just get to that location however you can. A boost please,” he said and Harry went to stand under the hole Eggsy had left in the ceiling. He gave Merlin a nod and Merlin ran to him and jumped into Harry’s basketed hands and Harry heaved upwards and Merlin turned into a dragon once mostly cleared and took off after Eggsy.

“Now then,” Harry began, adjusting his suit. “What do you need to show off, Ginger?” He looked at her curious.

“We have an airplane, one I can fly from here for you. Tight fit for the the three of you, but you can do it.”

“I’m sorry a what now?” Roxy stared at them in horror.

“Come on, you telling me no dumb humans have made an airplane in England?” Champ is grinning. “Or is that an American special?"

“A few people have made gliders and small planes, mostly for scientific research,” Percival replied. “They are fascinating. And very dangerous in skies full of dragons.”

“Remember we have a lot less dragons. It will get you there in half the time road travel would take. Maybe only a little behind Merlin and Eggsy,” Ginger said.

“You want to put me in a metal shape up in the sky, while you control it from hundreds of kilometres away?” Roxy paled a little.

Ginger went over and picked up the ivory hand and kissed the palm. “I trusted you to do this. Trust me to get you there in one piece.”

Roxy nodded. “I trust you babe,” she said. “Okay, let’s go fly in an airplane.”

“I love new experiences on my way to kill people, gets the blood up.” Harry smiled.

“Good hunting,” Champ said. “Burn it to the ground.”

The team left to ready the plane.

*******************************************

It took Merlin longer than he expected to catch up to Eggsy, the lad fueled by rage and terror. And at least he was headed in the right direction, though he needed to go a little more west than his current flight was leading him. Merlin could see a small blur of gold ahead of him and pushed himself faster. It was another few minutes before he was flying next to Eggsy. There was a piece of glass stuck in his wing and Eggsy didn’t even seem to notice.

“Eggsy,” Merlin roared.

Eggsy ignored him and kept moving forward, pushing himself. Merlin knew if he didn’t stop him, Eggsy would damage himself and be useless in the upcoming battle. Merlin put on a burst of speed and used his size to get in front of Eggsy. But they had been flying together long enough that Eggsy was able to swing and circle around him and keep going. There was no way Merlin would get him to stop and listen.

Merlin would have to make him listen. He didn’t try to get Eggsy to listen to him again. He spied a lake below them and stretched his jaw out and gently bit Eggsy’s tail and dove them down. Eggsy struggled but Merlin kept him gripped until they fell in the water. It was a mess of claw and tail and jaw until Merlin had Eggsy fully in his grip and brought them up for air. “Eggsy ye are injured,” Merlin roared at him and moved them towards shore. Eggsy kept struggling and Merlin looked at him, took a breath, and took his life in his hands. He turned back to human and let Eggsy go. 

He swam to the shore and sat. Eggsy didn’t take off, but stayed a little away. “Eggsy I have to get the glass out of your wing. I don’t know what your mother told you, but you do no one any good, if ye go off half cocked. You don’t even know where in Mexico Poppy is.” Merlin looked at him devastated. “Eggsy, let me help.”

Merlin breathed a little easier when Eggsy came close and held out his wing. Merlin pulled the glass out and was relieved that it was a shallow injury. “Eggsy,” he said, “please my mate, please.”

Eggsy transformed and collapsed against Merlin and began to sob. “Daisy’s been taking the vitamins for the last couple weeks. My girl is going to die in pain and fear and I’m not there to help her.”

Merlin held him tight and let him cry. “She might,” he said when Eggsy calmed down. 

Eggsy pushed him away and smoke poured from his nose. “Fuck you. How can you say that?”  He looked ready to launch himself in the air again and Merlin moved closer and held him tight. “Fuck you, Merlin. Fuck you,” Eggsy screamed.

“I know,” Merlin said and kept holding him tight, so that if Eggsy transformed in the moment there was a good shot he would kill Merlin. “But she might. And you cannae stop it, no matter how fast ye fly, or how hard you fight.”

“Why would you say that?” Eggsy asked. “Why are you so cold?”

“Because we are going into war, Eggsy,” Merlin said. “We are going to fight an enemy that we don’t actually know the strength of, and I do not care what movies and telly say to you. If you go into a battle like this for revenge, for that one person you just have to save, you lose sight, you become blind to all but that. You forget the people beside you, who might need you. You just care about getting Poppy, but what if we need her alive to create the antidote?”

“I can control myself,” Eggsy snapped.

“Can you?” Merlin touched his shoulder that had the cut in it. “Can you, Eggsy? Can ye put us and the fight about your fear? Can you think of the thousands, the millions that are relying on us, not just your sister?”

“I don’t know them,” Eggsy said. “I know her, and she has done nothing wrong.”

“The same with everyone else who has been poisoned.” Merlin kissed his head. “Eggsy, this is what being a Kingsman is. It is pain and miserable choices, and never choosing yourself.”

“This is Harry letting my dad close that door,” Eggsy said softly.

“It is,” Merlin agreed.

“I don’t know if I change back right away,” Eggsy said. “I was flying hard.”

“You were,” Merlin agreed. “I can leave ye here. If you can’t...if you aren’t ready for what we have to face, I can leave ye here.”

Eggsy shook his head. “You are wrong you know.”

“How so?”

“I can keep her in my mind. I can think of her, and I can think of Tequila, and Roxy’s hand, and your legs, and all the other people out there hurting. I can think of each of those things, and use them to fuel me, and not forget who I am standing beside, and what needs to be done. You just watch me.”

Merlin kissed him hard. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Eggsy said. “Now get us to fucking Mexico. Because you are going to watch me save the fucking world."

Merlin had never felt so full of awe for a person before. He took a few steps back and transformed. Eggsy crawled over him and lay down on his back. “Do it,” Eggsy ordered.

Merlin roared and shot up into the sky and started flying.

*********************************************

“I hate this,” Roxy moaned in the tiny space.

“I find it interesting,” Percival replied. He tried poking at the buttons a little, but nothing happened. “Hmm, Ginger has it on complete remote function. Probably wise not to trust us. Still it could be fun to learn.”

Harry was napping.

“The air is so trapped in here, when you fly on Merlin, you don’t feel trapped,” Roxy complained.

“I have you safe,” Ginger’s voice filled the small cabin. “And look to your right.”

They looked and saw Merlin flying, a small lump on his back. They watched as the lump moved up and then leaped into the air and became a small golden dragon. 

“Wow, this is fast,” Roxy said. “How much longer?”

“About 40 minutes,” Ginger replied. “We’re landing you and then you’ll have to trample through some jungle. I would imagine Percival will collect some samples.”

“Indeed, it will help keep me calm,” Percival agreed. He squeezed Roxy’s hand. “Centre yourself, much will be asked of you soon.”

Roxy nodded and tried to meditate; she hated how easily Harry slept before a mission. 

The landing was rough and made rougher by two dragons putting down beside them. They all took the packs from the plane, loaded with weapons, and equipment, that they might need. Harry cracked open the bottle of blood and drank it whole. “Do you two need a minute?” he asked Eggsy and Merlin.

Eggsy shook his head. “Gonna channel the horny into something more practical, like murder.”

Harry’s fangs were dripping. “I am very proud of you,” he said. He started to walk through the jungle.

“Is Harry the best lead man for a jungle?” Eggsy asked.

“Look at all of us, he’s as good as anyone,” Roxy offered and Eggsy nodded and they all followed him in.

They could actually see the faintest trail, the magic Percival had called to find Whisky, it wasn’t much but it was enough. One kilometre wasn’t far, but in the trees, and brush it took far longer than it would in the city.

Harry was about to step forward when Percival stopped him. “Something is different,” he said. “Roxy help me cast for alterations.”

Roxy and Percival chanted and then it looked like they were throwing out a net. The ground glowed, little points seeming scattered randomly. 

“Landmines,” Merlin said. “We have to tread carefully.” They moved carefully avoiding the glowing dots until they could see gates with half a dozen guards milling about. A couple were shift born, and all of them had guns. There were also a couple lookouts. “Eggsy and I can transform and -”

“We all charge, as a group we can take them,” Harry began to argue in whispers.

Eggsy joined in the debate and Roxy looked ready to warm up, dropping her half of the magic.

Percival calmly looked through the brush, at the guards and set up and where he remembered all the landmines had been. “Roxy?” he whispered.

“God they are morons,” she said. “We clearly need to -”

“You need to listen to me,” Percival said. She turned to look at him, he sounded different than he ever had before. “You are so strong, and far better at lab work than even you realize. You fight your way through, but let them deal with the worst of it. You find the lab, find the antidote. You have been my pride and joy since the day I first brought you to the estate.” He smiled at her. “You are the strongest our family has ever known.”

“I don’t understand,” she said. “You’ll lead the charge to the lab.”

“Of course, my dear,” Percival smiled. “As soon as I get Harry to listen to -” He stepped forward and a little to the right and the tiny snick under his foot silenced the group. “Oh no,” he said calmly.

“Oh no?” Eggsy hissed. “Fuck what do we do?” He looked to Merlin. “Merlin save him.”

“I can freeze it,” Roxy said staring at her uncle’s foot. “We freeze it and -”

“You saw the fae charms written on the mines as well as I did,” Percival replied. “You know traditional magic won’t stop this.”

“What did you do?” Harry’s voice was glacial, to hide his terror.

“I misstepped,” Percival said.

“Fix it,” Eggsy begged. He looked at Percival. “You have to fix it.”

“I am so glad I had the chance to know you, you are a true Kingsman, Eggsy,” Percival smiled at him. “And think, I doubt you’ll have to worry about holding organs again anytime soon.”

“I’ll hold a million if you fix it,” Eggsy begged. He reached forward and Percival looked over to him to Merlin. Merlin pulled Eggsy away and held him close.

“I will provide a distraction. Flank in two teams, on my signal, Eggsy and Merlin transform, keep Roxy and Harry safe. You’ll know when to transform, you’ll have a splint second. I trust you.” Percival adjusted the cuffs of his shirt. “End this.” 

Eggsy looked ready to protest and Roxy was doing everything she could not to cry. Merlin looked at Percival. “Percival, it has been my honour,” Merlin said. He picked up Roxy and carried her away to position. She didn’t curse because that would give everything away.

Eggsy looked at Percival and Harry and realized they needed a moment. He went in the opposite direction of Merlin and wiped his tears off his cheeks. He had another piece of grief to fuel him now.

“I can survive the blast, if we move at the same time,” Harry suggested.

“It doesn’t work like that,” Percival replied. He pulled Harry close and kissed him. “I chose this. All your plans would get you killed. This will provide a true surprise.”

“A landmine? How?” Harry asked. He gripped Percival tight.

“Trust me.”

“How can I trust you?” Harry countered. You were stupid enough to forget where a landmine was when you had just seen the glow less than a minute before.” Harry froze. “You wouldn’t forget something like that.” He stared at Percival in horror. “You...you didn’t.”

“I love you Harry, and I need you to trust me,” Percival said. “Trust me with every single fibre of your being. With a faith you don’t even know you have.”

“All my faith is wrapped up in you. I believe in very little in this world, but I promise that I believe in you.” Harry said, his fangs dropped and eyes red. 

“Isn’t that a riff on a line from Doctor Who?”

“We are British, everything anyone has said for the last 50 years has likely been said on Doctor Who,” Harry replied. He grazed his fangs over Percival’s throat. “Don’t close a door with yourself on the other side. Don’t.”

“Just be ready, I think you’ll be impressed with the dramatics,” Percival said.

“I don’t want impressive, I just want you.”

“I’ll see you soon,” Percival promised him. “Show them no mercy for the lives they have destroyed.”

Harry nodded and with one last kiss followed Eggsy.

Percival took a few calming breaths. He had to get this right. For Harry, for the Kingsman, for even the smallest chance at a future. He began to chant softly, low words, powerful words, priming the spell. The fae charms were to block traditional magics, but they could have never been prepared for a man like him, and what he was willing to do, to call to. He was a Kingsman. He chanted and felt the magic want to tear him apart and he wouldn't let it. It wrapped around him, black tendrils that flowed outwards, all around the ground and disappeared. “Harry, forever yours,” he said softly and kept his hands weaving the spell even has he called out, “Hello? I hate to bother you fine, evil henchmen, but I am in a bit of a pickle here.”

Two came forward, “Who are you? Show yourself!” One shouted.

“That would be rather difficult, as I find myself standing on one of your mines, and showing myself would blow me up, thus removing my ability to show myself.”

“How is that our problem?” the other guard shouted.

“Well I have information about an American government lead strike team that is on its way to destroy you. Or didn’t you know that Whisky was a triple agent?” Percival shouted.

The one man got on his walkie talkie to Poppy and the other kept moving forward. When he got close enough, Percival blasted him with magic all the way back to the guard walls. The rest of the guards on the ground began to move forward.

“What is your name?” The one with the walkie talkie asked.

“Alistair Morton, full moon born son of the north star, code name Percival and the strongest mother fucking lab witch you will have ever met.” He smiled fiercely. “And we will destroy you.” They were all beginning to crowd him and he raised his voice to make sure the team heard him. “You know, my greatest regret in this moment? Not a single fucking thing.” He shouted three words and clapped his hands together and then slammed them into the ground.

Eggsy and Merlin had both roared and transformed, shielding Harry and Roxy.

It seemed the whole world shook, as not just the landmine Percival stood on, but the 84 that surrounded the compound went off as one.


	30. Chapter 30

Harry watched Merlin and Eggsy fly up into the air and over the compound walls. He wondered why they were flying so slowly, almost languid. When Merlin shot flames at a guard tower they didn’t burst out but poured almost like lava. Roxy was running forward casting waves of magic out. Odd, her spells usually flew, they weren’t. Everyone was just slow and faded.

He glanced at the destruction surrounding the compound and was as ever in awe of Percival’s magic. He really needed to tell them man how impressive he was.

Only Harry remembered the cost of that impressiveness. He rather thought he should tell Poppy exactly who had blown up all her mines. He was sure Poppy would be interested in the details. 

It really was quite sunny in the compound, Harry really should put his umbrella up, but that felt like so much work. He made his way forward past a wall that Merlin had destroyed. Impressive amount of rubble really. The dragons were doing a good bit of damage even though they were moving so slowly.

Harry could see Roxy darting about, flickering in and out of existence. Temporal jumps, trying to find the lab. Risky, if she jumped into the middle of a desk, but he supposed it was a little like how he was smoking, when your moral centre does something stupid, when that gives you all sorts of leeway. He felt rather hot but there was a building right there at the end of the road, centred, separated from the rest.

Even odds Poppy would be there.

A shift born ran at Harry guns blazing. Harry finally opened his umbrella. A flick of the wrist, a push of hand, achingly slow. He supposed it was time to get to work.

****************************************

Eggsy sat on top of a building and stared down in horror. Harry had just walked into the compound, smoking a bit from the sun, like he was out for a Sunday stroll in the park. He was going to die. Eggsy wondered if he was trying to die. “Merlin!” Eggsy roared.

Merlin had a guard in his mouth on the building across the way and looked to Eggsy. Eggsy’s tail pointed below and he looked down at Harry. “He’s fine, make sure we get all the parameter guards.”

“How’s that fine?” Eggsy’s voice was choked even for in his dragon form. He looked down at Harry and roared. He jumped off the roof and down into the middle of the compound. Only something apparently had snapped in Harry and Eggsy watched him flip open the umbrella and go insane. Harry moved fast, faster than Eggsy had ever seen him. Eggsy stared in dumbfounded awe as Harry just tore apart the guards with his gun and umbrella and teeth. He jumped into shadows and just disappeared, reappearing to snap a neck, to slam someone in a wall. He couldn’t stop watching the pure destruction of it.

“Eggsy, help Roxy find the lab,” Harry ordered. He looked up to where Merlin was flying and burning outer buildings. He let out a sharp whistle and Merlin rose up into the sky and then plummeted down and hit the ground in human form. He picked up an assault rifle a guard had dropped and moved to Harry’s left.

“Fuck,” Eggsy said.

“Roxy,” Harry repeated and he and Merlin continued carving their path forward to that centre building.

Eggsy transformed back to human and punched a guy who tried to get the jump on him and grabbed his gun. He wasn’t exactly the best shot, but they had given him some training. And some of that training involved getting his back to a wall. He ran to a building for some cover and tried to find Roxy. It took a couple minutes but then he saw her running into a building a few down. He ran after her and ran into her just inside.

“Roxy?” he asked. “Harry told me to give you back up.”

Roxy was staring at the person in front of her. “This is the lab, I need to get through.”

“Okay,” Eggsy said. “So go through.”

“Bit harder to get through me,” Charlie said. 

“Not really,” Eggsy answered and shot him. He smiled when Charlie fell. “Right, Rox, let’s get you to the lab.”

“Not that easy,” Charlie said getting up.

“What the fuck? I’m a crap shot but that was definitely a kill.”

Roxy looked at Charlie. “Oh,” she said. “Oh why didn’t I see it before?”

“Because you wouldn't think of going this far, to achieve your goals. You are weak,” Charlie replied. He looked down at the hole in his chest. It wasn’t pouring blood, his blood didn’t pump anymore. “Huh,” he said. “Would have thought it would hurt more getting shot in the heart.”

“What the fuck?” Eggsy repeated. “Why isn’t he dead?”

“He is dead, Eggsy,” Roxy said. Her china white hand began to glow. “He’s a zombie.”

“Hard to kill what’s already dead,” Charlie smiled at Eggsy.

“Let’s find out yeah?” Eggsy opened fire.

***********************************************

Merlin and Harry slaughtered anyone who came near them, the fight going even better when someone was fool enough to attack Merlin with an axe, giving him a bladed weapon. They were both covered in blood, Merlin’s jumper torn, Harry smoking a bit from the sun when they opened the door to the building.

Immediately they knew something was off. It was a long hallway, no windows or doors, which didn’t line up with how the outside of the building looked. “Charm,” Merlin said.

“Yes but which, the outside or this?” Harry swallowed. “Percival would know.”

“So can we,” Merlin said. He opened the door behind them and stepped back outside. “Harry, you might want to move, I recall you and fire are not best of friends.”

Harry moved well out of the way and Merlin transformed back to dragon and breathed fire into the building. The outer door and frame were scorched but the inside showed no damage. Merlin returned to human and picked up the axe again. “So inside,” Merlin said. “Probably not the best idea for us to just walk back in there. Not with a charm that strong.”

“No, not the best idea at all,” Harry agreed.

And they both walked back in.

*************************************************

Eggsy was out of ammo and the most he had done was knock Charlie back. He was pretty sure he had shattered a fucking knee cap, and the guy kept up. “I’m out,” Eggsy said. He threw the gun at Charlie’s head and was annoyed when the guy caught it and bent the metal with the robot arm. 

Roxy had just moved herself into a corner while Charlie had attacked and Eggsy kind of thought maybe she’d way into the fray a bit, but no she was still standing there staring at nothing. Not the best time for Percival’s death to sink in. But they needed this guy dead, so Eggsy ran forward, because if there was something he knew how to do it was throw a punch. 

The guy had a lot more training than Eggsy, but he had never fought to just stay alive like how Eggsy had done and for a couple minutes that gave Eggsy an edge. He landed good hits, but the guy just didn’t feel them, and soon enough that robotic arm had thrown Eggsy across the room and he stalked towards Eggsy.

“The Kingsman have really let their standards slip, if you are what passes for an agent these days.” Charlie held his shirt with the dead hand as the robotic one reared back to deliver a killing blow. “Roxy crying like a little bitch in the corner, and some street scum, thinking he can take me on?”

“Fuck you,” Eggsy said. He desperately wanted to transform, chew the guy up and spit him out, but this was the lab, and if he did that and brought the building down there was no cure for Daisy. He’d rather die than let that happen. He closed his eyes and waited for the metal fist to cave his skull in.

*****************************************

They walked down the hallway but they knew they weren’t going anywhere. Steps felt different when they moved you forward, versus in place. “Whiskey is better than I thought,” Merlin said. He looked at the walls. “His specialty is distraction charms.”

“This is a distraction, but it isn’t Whiskey, we didn’t underestimate him,” Harry said. “We estimated his skills perfectly. And they are not at this level. Hose pipes, phantom images. This requires a delicate hand. A Texas moron who cannot say idioms correctly? No he is not capable of a charm this sophisticated.”

“I beg your pardon?” Whiskey said. The charm fell and he was standing there, lasso in hand. Poppy was at a desk in the corner and waved to them. “That was one hell of a charm. You sorts always discount what the fae can do.”

“Not really, I have great respect for them,” Harry said. “We had a team of incredible fae before your boss murdered them. Give us the antidote and we’ll walk away.”

Poppy got up and moved to the front of the desk. “What makes you think I even made an antidote? That would go against what I was trying for.”

“Because you are too clever not to have,” Harry replied. “A safety net, just in case everything went wrong.”

“Oh, you are smart,” she said. “Why don’t you come work for me? We have lots of fun here.”

Merlin’s grip tightened on his axe. “I’ve seen the fun ye have. I’ve wiped the blood of it off my face. I am done with your brand of fun.”

Whiskey looked at them. “Sorry boys but you see Poppy here -”

“Like I give a fuck,” Harry said and ran forward in a blur.

Poppy clapped as she watched the three men begin to fight.

****************************************

Eggsy’s eyes opened when the fist didn’t connect with his face. “Bruv? Change of heart?”

Charlie was straining trying to punch but the robotic arm wasn’t responding to him. “Give me a second.”

“Yeah, no,” Eggsy said and brought up his feet and kicked Charlie’s chest to send him back. Eggsy scrambled up and watched as Charlie’s arm was going haywire. 

“Shouldn’t have taken me on, Charlie,” Roxy said. Her white hand was glowing and each movement of her arm, moved Charlie’s. “See fun fact about the hand not being flesh anymore, if I focus I can use it to control other non flesh appendages,” she laughed a bit and sent Charlie flying into a wall. She did it again and again as she moved forward. “Charlie, Charlie, Charlie. Know why you didn’t become a Kingsman?” She sent him to the roof and then crashing to the ground. “Because this little bitch was better than you in every single way. I’m smarter, a better fighter, a better fuck, and most of all a better heart than you could ever understand.” The glowing hand became her rock fist. “Night night, Charlie,” she said.

Eggsy watched as she punched down again and again, until her fist was covered in necrotic brain matter and then she set fire to him. “Damn, Roxy,” he said.

“Come back from that one, you little bitch,” she snarled and flicked her hand to get some of the blood and brain off it. “We need to get to the proper lab.”

“Sure, I’m good at holding stuff in labs for badass witches you know.”

“I know you are,” she replied and they went down the hall.

*******************************************

Whiskey was a far better fighter than Merlin and Harry had anticipated, their own feelings for him prejudicing them. He used his lasso efficiently and they couldn’t get close to him. “You know, I expected you two to be better than this, and here I am wrecking havoc on you,” Whiskey laughed as his lasso wrapped around Harry. He hit the button to send an electric charge along it. 

Harry’s eyes went red and grabbed the lasso and pushed it up and off just in time before the charge could hit him. “It’s wreaking, you colossal moron,” Harry snarled.

Merlin threw a chair at Whiskey, “How do we help Tequila?” he shouted.

“How would I know, I just drugged him, I don’t know what’s in it,” Whiskey said. 

“Well then, you really are of no use to us,” Harry replied and poured all his energy and strength into taking Whiskey down. It was a series of brutal punches and then he twisted and pushed Whiskey towards Merlin and Merlin buried his axe in the man’s torso. They watched him fall down and then turned to Poppy. Merlin took a moment to crouch and search Whiskey’s pockets.

“Wow,” she told them. “That was really impressive. It doesn’t stop my plan any, but still kudos for that little cut scene action moment there.” She smiled at them. “Now what can I do for you?”

“The antidote,” Merlin said.

“How about no? Want some stock in companies I own? Oooh what about complete control of the British government? I can get that for you.”

“Get me Percival back, and we can talk,” Harry suggested.

“Who?”

Harry moved forward. “The man who blew up all your landmines.”

“Oh that was incredible. But can’t really help you with someone who’s in pieces and goo all over the jungle. Sorry. And you can’t kill me, I know the secret of the antidote, only one. It’s trapped up in here.” She tapped her head. “So what are we going to do? It’s a pickle isn’t it?”

“Not really,” Harry said and pulled her into an embrace. “Thank you for letting us know where the answer was.” He sank his fangs into her neck and drank her dry. “Axe please,” he said when he pulled his lips away. He dropped her to the ground and held out his hand and Merlin put the axe in it. “This is for Percival,” he said quietly and chopped her head off. He picked it up by the hair. “Let’s get this to Roxy.” Merlin nodded and they went out and Merlin followed the scent of his mate to the other building and they saw the burned out corpse and Merlin gave it an extra kick. It took them a minute to find Roxy and Eggsy but they were eventually able to follow the cursing.

“I believe you are missing something, my dear,” Harry said.

“The ingredients are all there, but I can’t bind them together,” Roxy replied. She looked up and saw the severed head. “Oh, gimmie!” 

Harry tossed it to her and she threw it onto a specimen tray and began to chant. Words flowed out of the brain, and spun around Roxy. She gathered some and batted others away. “There you are,” she said and reached out. “There you are.” She hurried to a shelf and found what she was looking for. She tossed it into the cauldron with the other ingredients and smiled. “Sugar,” she said. “It’s why it was in chewable vitamins, it needed the stability of the chemical make up of sugar.”

Eggsy looked at the mixture. “Great, we have a cauldron full of antidote but how do we spread it the world over? How do we get it to Daisy in time?”

“We send the recipe to every witch in the world, to start making it,” Roxy said.

“And how do we do that? Some sort of witch phone tree?” Eggsy snapped. “It’s not the PTA.”

“We do that by giving me some space outside,” she said. They walked outside and Roxy faced the sun and tilted her head up. “I only saw him do this once. It’s...it is stronger than anything I’ve done alone.” Her hands were shaking.

Harry went over and took one. “You aren’t alone,” he said softly.

“You aren’t,” Merlin agreed when he took her other hand.

Eggsy hugged her from behind. “You got this,” he said.

Roxy closed her eyes and felt the sun on her. Felt Harry smoking a little beside, not caring at all, just gripping her hand tight. Her dragons were holding her close. She took a few deep breaths and when she opened her eyes they were completely white. She stared up at the sun and began to chant. It felt like she was calling beams directly down to her.

They began to burn Harry and he wouldn’t let go. He wasn’t losing her too, not today. The sun wrapped around them all and then Roxy began to list the recipe, the ingredients, the process to make it and the words fell trapped on the sun beams. Eggsy swore he could see them swimming up the light and then flying over the sky. The beams started to pull away from them and Roxy turned and looked at Harry.

“Find me, find me in the dark Harry, Roxy will figure out the way, and I’ll be waiting,” Percival’s voice poured out of Roxy and then she collapsed. 

Harry picked her up and began to carry her through the jungle. He very carefully didn’t look where Percival had stood. He put her in the plane and contacted Ginger and soon they were up in the air. 

Eggsy was about ready to jump up when Merlin stopped him. “I have this for you,” he said. 

Eggsy stared at the necklace that connected him to Daisy. He squeezed it tight and a moment later it glowed. She was squeezing back. “She still has a chance,” he said.

“She does,” Merlin agreed. “Every witch in the world will be brewing the antidote. She has a chance.”

Eggsy nodded. They looked at each other and in a moment they were up in the air and following the plane.


	31. Chapter 31

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> warning for some eye trauma during a magical spell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading this au

“Funny Eggsy,” Daisy said. 

“Oh, did I tell a joke?” he asked.

“Clothes funny,” she pointed. 

Eggsy looked down at his suit. “I work for a tailor,” he said. “They make suits. If I don’t where one I get in trouble.”

Daisy gasped. “Time out?”

“They have a naughty step, right there in the shop,” he agreed. “But it won’t stop me from pushing you on the swing.”

Daisy giggled and ran for the swing set and he pushed her for twenty minutes before she wanted to go on the little toddler jungle gym. Michelle came over. “Okay, we need to go home now,” she told Daisy. Daisy began to fuss and Eggsy hugged her and hushed her and promised he’d see her again next weekend.

“Thanks,” Michelle said. “Think you had something to do with fixing it all, yeah?” They had never talked about what happened three months ago, about the antidote going around the world and saving 80% of the people in peril. It had saved Daisy, but not Dean, because for once the universe was kind. Eggsy figured the only acknowledgement he would ever get was these weekly play dates at the park.

“Don’t know what you mean, Michelle, I’m a tailor’s apprentice,” Eggsy said.

“Of course you are.” She looked at him. “Fits you. I’m...I’m glad you are happy.”

Eggsy blinked. “Thanks,” he said softly.

“Next week, I have an appointment. You could pick Daisy up at the flat, have the whole afternoon with her,” Michelle offered.

“I’ll be there,” Eggsy promised.

“Good,” Michelle said and then gathered up Daisy and they were gone.

Eggsy walked over to the car. “You don’t have to keep doing parameter sweeps you know,” he told Merlin and Harry.

“Just keeping an eye,” Harry replied.

“Like I’m letting you meet that viper alone,” Merlin said.

“One time Daisy kicks you in the shin,” Eggsy teased, knowing that Merlin was talking about his mum.

Merlin kissed his head and they drove back to the shop and then took the bullet train to where the estate was being rebuilt. Progress was being made, though it would be at least another six months before it was all finished. Merlin transformed and began to move wood about for the workers. 

“Show off,” he shouted. But he then transformed to help out as well.

Harry walked through the frame of what was being built into what would be the future state of the art lab for a lab witch. They currently lacked one, because Roxy had stayed in the states to help heal Tequila, and then stayed because she had fallen in love with Ginger. He understood and supported that. The trio that was left worked well together, cleaning up the last of the mess caused by the drugging, but he missed having a witch in his corner.

He missed his witch.

It was a grey day, no real sun to cast shadows in the room that wouldn’t have a ceiling for a while yet. He watched the shadows dance on the floor. “I see you my love,” he said and sat on the floor and touched them. “We’ll bring you home. We’re working on bringing you home.” The shadows circled him, growing closer and tighter. He knew it was a hug before they faded away.

“Sir, you okay?” Jamal asked. Merlin and Harry had listened to Eggsy and hired a few of his old friends to help with the rebuild.

“No, but I will be one day,” Harry replied and stood up. He wasn’t sure how long he had actually been sitting there. He looked to the sky. “They aren’t flying anymore?”

“Uhh...they transformed back and are ‘searching the old house site for anything else salvageable’,” Jamal rolled his eyes. “So you know, fucking.”

“Yes, I could figure that out,” Harry said. “Was there something you needed?”

“One of the charms at the border was tripped. An unknown car is coming this way.”

Harry nodded and went out front and onto the lane. He stood in the middle of the road and watched the car approach. He didn’t move even as it stopped a few centimeters from him.

Roxy jumped out from behind the wheel. “Eggsy called, said I’d be impressed with the progress. He lied.”

Ginger stepped out. “Hi, Harry,” she said.

Tequila bounded out as well. “Where my dragon best friend at?” 

“The old site over there,” Harry gestured and Tequila took off running. “They are having sex!” he shouted after Tequila.

“Ha! I’ll scare them good then,” Tequila crowed and ran faster.

Harry just sighed and went over and kissed Ginger’s cheek. “A pleasure to see you my dear.”

“You too, Harry,” Ginger smiled. “We’re here to help.”

“It is welcome,” he said.

Ginger squeezed Roxy’s hand and went over to the foreman’s tent. 

Roxy hugged Harry tight. “He’s getting impatient,” she said. “I see him in shadows, and dreams.”

“I’ve seen him as well,” Harry agreed. 

“I’ve been working on the spells that might bring him back, but they are hard dangerous things, and require sacrifice of a way I can’t understand. Something that would be the flesh and blood of the two people most connected.” Roxy felt helpless. “It’s some dark ass magic, the sort of stuff he learned but never would teach me.”

Harry thought of the shadows that had danced around him. “I think I know something.” He would do anything to give those shadows form.

“Full moon, midnight, clear sky, blah blah blah, I call to the void where I think he is trapped and we basically do an exchange and hope we are lucky.” She looked at him. "Near as I can guess, he sent his soul into the void, so it couldn't move on. He trapped himself. We need a vessel to get him unstuck, that's what the sacrifice will hopefully do."

“We will make our luck,” Harry replied.

“Okay then,” she said.

**********************************************

They all stood wreathed in the circle of fire that Merlin and Eggsy made. The dragons sat in the fire, and watched the people in the middle. Roxy was naked and  had carved up her body in these crazy patterns and in this spell her eyes went black not red.

Ginger was standing there with a medical kit and trying not to freak out. Tequila was in rock form, ready to punch the monsters that might come out, because this was Lovecraft kind of shit.

Harry was in Percival’s favourite suit.

Roxy began to chant and all the carvings on her body began to move. It grew dark in the circle though the fires burned bright.

It was horrific and beautiful. It was something no one had attempted in 500 years.

“I need the fresh sacrifice,” Roxy said as the black around them began to spin and open up.

Harry held up the knife that Merlin had given him. He had said that its name was Alistair. He took off his kingsman glasses and carved out the eye that Percival had grown for him. He handed it to Roxy and ignored the way that Ginger threw up. He put his glasses back on. The shadows were moving more. He thought of his lost love. “I believe in you,” he whispered.

Roxy chanted and threw the eye into the black and the void seemed to scream in pleasure, in agony, no one knew. Tendrils moved about, seemed to be trying to hold something in. There was a different scream, a roar of rage. 

Percival fell through the black and clawed at the ground. Harry gripped his arms tight and wouldn’t let go as the tendrils tried to pull him back. Merlin roared and shot flame into the black as Roxy chanted and the darkness closed and disappeared.

Roxy collapsed and Ginger hurried over to her, checked her over. “Tequila, she is dehydrated, we need to get her to a bed.” Tequila carried her over to where they had set up a couple of cots.

Percival coughed up black goo and Harry wiped it away from his mouth. “You found me,” he said in between coughing fits.

“Of course I did,” Harry replied.

“We need. I need…” Percival couldn’t form the words.

“Anything my love,” Harry said, crying from the eye he had left. “Anything.”

“Get samples of the goo, I want to study it,” Percival gasped and then passed out.

Harry began to laugh helplessly and cradled Percival close.

Eggsy had transformed back to human. “Well that answers the question of whether something evil had taken him over. That was definitely Percival.” He pulled a vial out of his pocket and scooped up the goo. He had carried one in his pocket since they returned to England, a tribute to his friend.

Harry carried Percival over to the other cot and Ginger began to look him over as well. Harry would let go of his hand.

Eggsy looked at Merlin who was still in dragon form. He went over and pressed his hand to Merlin’s snout. “Never going to get used to all of this,” Eggsy said. Merlin blew a little smoke at him. “Don’t mean I don’t love it, but that was some fucked up magic there. Anyone else in the world even capable of that?”

Merlin shook his giant head no.

“And Harry is baller enough to just carve out his eye for love. Would you do something like that for me?” Merlin nodded and licked at Eggsy. “Yeah. Yeah I would do that for you too.” He looked up at the full moon. He then grinned. “Catch me if you can,” he said and ran and jumped and the moonlight was soon making his golden scales shine. He darted through the sky and Merlin chased after him.

Percival woke up briefly. He felt Harry kissing his hand and could hear Roxy trying to calm Ginger down. He could see the outline of Eggsy and Merlin in the sky, chasing each other. He closed his eyes. He was home. He felt more of Harry’s kisses and smiled as he fell asleep again.

In the sky, Merlin caught up to Eggsy and pressed their snouts together. Eggsy gave him a lick and then spun and flew away. The sound that rumbled out of him was clearly a laugh.

Merlin shot fire into the air and then chased after his mate.


End file.
